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Masadur Rahman Baidya
Masadur Rahman Baidya takes the pool during the event to mark the 12th year of his crossing the English Channel. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya I am not handicapped,” announced Masudur Rahman Baidya, stunning the 100-odd children gathered at the Bidhan Sishu Udyan on Thursday at a felicitation to mark the 12th year of Masudur crossing the English Channel. Among the crowd were 12 physically challenged kids from Paschim Banga Rajya Pratibandhi Sammelani.

As a nine-year-old, Masudur, who loved to swim, had been run over by a goods train. The injury required the amputation of both his legs from the knees. The boy from Ballavpur village of North 24-Parganas had to spend over one-and-a-half years in different hospitals. He finally emerged from the Artificial Limb Centre in Pune as a child determined to do the best.

The only man with amputated legs to cross the English Channel, Masudur went on to conquer the Strait of Gibraltar in 2001. On Thursday he said he would attempt to cross the Palk Strait in July 2010.

“I have not been able to swim at any challenging venue for the last eight years because I did not get sponsorship. But now, Bangla band Jowar and the Silicon Group of Industries have raised the money needed for ‘Mission Palk Strait’ and we have got in touch with the defence ministries of India and Sri Lanka for permission,” he said.

After the amputation, his body would bend downward from below the waist in water. But he practised from dawn to dusk, even caught a bacterial infection that affected his digestion for staying in the water for too long.

“But I did not give up till I could swim. Believe me, it is possible for persons with physical disabilities to do things better than normal people. But you have to be dedicated to your cause.”

He described the waves, dolphins and jellyfish of the English Channel and the Gibraltar Strait for the wide-eyed audience. When asked about his “most memorable moment” in the seas, the 40-year-old replied: “I saw a mermaid once. She swam with me for a while.”His Hardwork and success led to the conflict of success.