52-year-old woman swam 150 km from Visakhapatnam to Kakinada

Goli Syamala, a 52-year-old woman from Samarlakota in Kakinada district successfully swam 150 km from Visakhapatnam to Kakinada. Her adventure began on December 28 at RK Beach and ended on January 3, 2025 when she reached Surya Rao Peta, NTR Beach in Kakinada where the locals and politicians gave her a grand welcome. She covered almost a distance of 30 km per day.

Known for her achievements of swimming across the waters of Ram Setu, Sri Lanka and Lakshadweep, Syamala continues to inspire women. While learning how to swim wasn’t an easy task for her, it eventually became a therapeutic way to tackle her bad days, she said.

“Initially I worked as a writer and producer for movies and series at my own studio. However, after successfully running the business for 10 years I had to shut it down, which made me a depressed person. When I was looking for a way out, I learned how to swim,” said Syamala while sharing her challenges.

In her 6-day swimming journey,  she was accompanied by a 14-member crew that included a doctor, and scuba divers. Unofficially, she was also accompanied by a turtle that swam beside her!

Syamala, who is now gaining popularity online as “the woman who swam from Visakhapatnam to Kakinada,” expressed that the journey was filled with both happiness and heart-wrenching moments as she had to witness many dead bodies of turtles along the coast.

Talking to the media, she further emphasized the need to protect these species and create awareness about water sports in Andhra Pradesh.

Syamala, originally a Samarlakota resident, is now settled in Hyderabad.

After her hard work and patience at the sea, to mark her achievement, Peddapuram MLA Nimmakayala Chinaranjappa felicitated her. Red Cross Chairman Rama Rao, Kakinada Municipal Commissioner Bhavana and port representatives were present during the occasion.

Also read – 5 incredible local achievers from Visakhapatnam who should inspire your New Year’s resolutions!

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