Bula Choudhury is an Indian long-distance swimmer from West Bengal, widely regarded as one of India's most accomplished open-water swimmers. She is known for crossing several major channels and seas across multiple continents, and has been honoured with the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri by the Government of India.
| Full name | Bula Choudhury |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 January 1970, Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Sport | Swimming (long-distance / open water) |
| Notable honours | Arjuna Award; Padma Shri |
| Known for | Crossing the English Channel and other open-water seas and straits across continents |
Born in Kolkata, Bula Choudhury took to swimming at an early age and trained in the city's competitive swimming circuit. She rose through state and national-level competitions in the 1980s, representing West Bengal and India in pool events before transitioning to long-distance open-water swimming.
Choudhury competed at the National Games and senior national championships, winning multiple medals across freestyle and butterfly events. She also represented India at international meets including the Asian Games and South Asian Federation (SAF) Games during her competitive pool career.
Choudhury is best known for her achievements in marathon and channel swimming. She crossed the English Channel, becoming one of a small group of Indian women to do so, and subsequently undertook a project to swim across the major seas of multiple continents. Her open-water crossings have included challenging routes in Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, undertaken over a period of several years.
Choudhury's career marks an important chapter in Indian swimming, particularly in raising the profile of open-water and endurance swimming in the country. As a woman athlete from Bengal who succeeded both in competitive pool swimming and in extreme long-distance crossings, she has served as a role model for subsequent generations of Indian swimmers.