A 28-year-old who resigned from an organisation promoting swimming in Australia to join his family business near Mangalore is trying to raise standards in the locality.

Partha Varanashi is an accomplished swimmer. He was the Mangalore University champion from 2003 to 2005 and a three-time finalist in national swimming contests. While pursuing a masters degree in plant biotechnology at the University of Adelaide, he became South Australian Masters Swimming record holder in 2009 besides winning over 10 gold medals in Aussie Masters.

Working as the swimming coaching coordinator at State Swim, an organisation promoting swimming in South Australia, he went on to coach over 900 swimmers in Australia.
In June, 2012, he returned to India to join his parents’ bio-technology venture — Varanashi Farms — that is into production of organic manure in Adyanadka, Bantwal taluk, about 60 kilometres from Mangalore.

 
As he was winding up in Australia, Paul Mason, owner of State Swim, advised him to start a swimming pool or an academy in India. Inspired by these words, Partha set up the Varanashi Swimming Academy. He says, “In India, a swimming pool is seen as a white elephant. Hence I did not have to put in much effort when I decided to take Balavana Swimming Pool in Parladka, Puttur on lease.” But Partha was not satisfied running the academy. He dreams of taking Indians up to Australian swimming standards.

 
Towards this end, he approached eight schools in Puttur and Vittal with a proposal to coach their students. Vivekananda School in Puttur showed interest in his dream and has now decided to introduce swimming classes from this academic year.

 
Partha says, “Students from Std V to IX will have one swimming class a week from June-July. Every student will get 30 classes a year. We are expecting at least 1,000 students to participate.”

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> News> State / May 12th, 2013