Former national champion swimmer dies

Seven-time former national champion swimmer Arun Kumar Shaw passed away following a prolonged illness, an official of the Bengal Amateur Swimming Association said.

He was 82 and is survived by his wife.

"He was suffering from age-related problems and breathed his last at 8.45pm Wednesday at his residence in Ravindra Sarovar," the official said.

Shaw was the first swimmer from Bengal to receive the Arjuna Award in 1967.

An elegant butterfly swimmer, Shaw won his first national championship in 1958 as a member of the Bengal team before joining the South Eastern Railway.

He reigned supreme for the Railways, winning the National championship in 1959, 1962, 1964, 1965-67 and set national records several times.

Coming from a family of swimmers, Shaw retired from the Railways in 1996 as office superintendent, grade I.

He was also a national selector for several years.

Born on April 12, 1937, he started swimming at the age of 11 while at the Scottish Church School.