Srikakulam district ke Burja Mandal ke Donkalapartha village ke 37 years ke para swimmer Ganesh Balaga ne saabit kar diya hai ki determination and resilience harshest odds ko bhi maat de sakta hai. Apne right leg me polio se peedit hone ke baad bhi Ganesh ne para swimming me national and international acclaim achieve ki hai, unhone English Channel aur Palk Strait dono me records set kiye hain.
Present me Eluru District Sports Authority ke tahat swimming coach ke roop me serve kar rahe Ganesh ne 10 national-level medals jeete hain aur para swimming me kai records banaye hain. Unki journey gaon ke ak talab se start hui, jahan unhone life ki difficulties se bachne ke liye first time swimming start ki. Apne doston se encourage hokar, unhone competitions me participate karna start kiya, dheere-dheere district se national level par pahoch gaye.
Chennai me held 12th Para Swimming Championships me unhone 200m ki event me gold medal, 100m butterfly me silver aur backstroke me bronze medal jeeta. Unhone 2013 aur 2014 me Bengaluru me held national meets me bhi medals jeete hain.
Ganesh Telugu States ke first para swimmer ban gaye hain jinhone English Channel and Palk Strait dono cross karne ka record set kiya hai. 16 June ko, unhone six-member ‘Pride of India A team’ ke part ke roop me English and France ke beech 34km ki English Channel relay complete ki. Unhone 13 hours and 37 minutes me apni distance complete ki, jise Channel Swimming Association ne darj kiya hai. 18 April ko unhone Sri Lanka se India tak 28km ki Palk Strait ko 10 hours and 30 minutes me cross kiya.
Ganesh ne TNIE ko bataya, “Koi shortcut nahi hai, koi excuse nahi hai- keval sheer willpower and waves hain.” “Maine life me kai challenges face kiye lekin Vijaywada and Eluru ki cities ne mere resolve ko enhance kiya.”
Polio se affect hone ke baad, Ganesh ki family 2000 me Vijaywada chala gaya, jahan unke father, jo ak small-time employee the, ne family ko support karne ke liye masonry ka kaam start kar diya. Unhone apni education continue rakhi, Sarada Vidya Niketan se schooling ki aur baad me Sarada Degree College se degree haasil ki. Railway staff and sportsman Chokkapu Ramana se inspire hokar unhone coach S Tirumalai Kumar ke under me Vijaywada ke Gandhinagar me Sir Wizzy Swimming Pool me swimming start ki.
Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU) ko represent karte huye Ganesh ne kai competitions me participate kiya aur national level par medals jeete. Baad me unhone Bengaluru me National Institute of Sports me ak saal ka coaching diploma kiya aur 2011 me Eluru me swimming coach ke roop me Sports Authority of India me shaamil ho gaye.
Unhone 2012, 2013 aur 2014 me Chennai, Bengaluru aur Indore me held national para swimming championships me participate kiya aur alag-alag disciplines me medals jeete. Wo Vijaywada ke head constable Tulasi Chaitanya ko life-changing advice dene ka credit dete hain.
Ye encouragement hi tha jisne unhe Palk Strait me tairne ki koshish karne ke liye inspire kiya- jo ki able-bodied swimmers ke liye bhi ak daunting challenge tha. Ganesh ne five months tak training li, Jangareddygudem me Yerrakalava Canal me har din 5 ghante swimming ki. Unhone strict diet follow kiya aur medical evaluations karaye.
Unhone kaha, “mera ambition North Channel (34.5km), Cook Strait (22.5km), Molokai Channel (42km), Catalina Channel (32.3km), Tsugaru Strait (19.5km) and State of Gibraltar (14.4km) ko cross karna hai, basharte mujhe financial support mile.” Ganesh ne khud ko coaching ke liye dedicate kar diya hai aur unka claim hai ki last 15 years me unhone Godawari me 3,000 se jada students ko train kiya hai.
