Swimming more of leisure activity than life skill here

NEW DELHI: The tragic incident in Noida has triggered a debate on the importance of swimming as a life skill rather than a pastime. Physical education teachers, heads of schools and many residents across Delhi-NCR have said the tragedy shows that even basic swimming knowledge can mean the difference between life and death.

"Swimming is a survival skill," said Swati Thakur, a physical education teacher at Amity International School, Gurgaon. "It can save lives by preventing the onset of panic when a person feels like he or she may drown. You don't need to be a professional swimmer. Even basic freestyle or knowing how to float is enough."


Learning to swim early in life is critical, she said, adding, "Children absorb skills quickly. Early exposure builds confidence and reduces fear of water, ensuring children do not freeze if they accidentally fall into the deep end."

At Amity, swimming is taught from Class I.

A physical education teacher at a south Delhi school said, "Basic skills to survive in water should be taught, just like road safety, because emergencies in our lives don't come with warnings."

Jas Elanjikal, principal of St Michael's Senior Secondary School, Pusa Road, said the tragedy in Noida has reinforced the need to move beyond academics. "Life skills are now more crucial than ever. In our school, we prioritise swimming, self-defence, cooking and other essential skills so students grow into confident and resilient individuals,"

Parents, too, are increasingly reassessing their approach. "I learned swimming in my twenties. But I want my child to learn the importance of it early in life. It is no longer optional," said Deepali Raina, mother of a toddler.

Another parent, Ankita Sinha, said swimming is essential to tide over problems we face in cities. "With rampant waterlogging every monsoon and construction sites and open ditches everywhere, accidents can happen anytime. Basic swimming is as essential as cycling."

However, coaches at DDA sports complexes note a persistent gap between awareness and commitment. They said most parents still see swimming as a seasonal recreation. Enrolments spike during the summer vacation but drop sharply once schools reopen. Children usually train for two to three months and then stop, they said.

Balwan Bora, who worked at Yamuna Sports Complex until recently, said swimming can be learnt in a few months, but negotiating deeper and treacherous waters requires additional skills, which needs to be refined through practice.

Rakesh Dhaiya, a national medallist who also served as a swimming coach with Indian Navy, said it is a complete exercise and, importantly, a life-saving skill that every child should learn. "Even those with certain medical conditions can perform well in swimming," he said.

Ankur Arun, a resident of Supertech Pavilion in Noida's Sector 34, said, "Most of us are not equipped with skills necessary to tackle emergencies — especially situations involving deep, contaminated water. Swimming lessons are mostly imparted in controlled environments and do not prepare individuals to handle real-life situations."

Navneet Chandra, who lives in Krishna Apra Residency in Noida's Sector 61, focused on the lack of psychological preparedness in case of disaster response. "The initial reaction to any crisis is often disbelief and shock, causing critical moments to be lost. You may be a great swimmer, but if you can't handle panic, the skill is of no use," he said.

Kushal Pal Singh Dhillon, a swimming coach for the past 30 years, said, "Residents of most highrises swim in clean, rectangular pools in their housing societies. This is starkly different from swimming in deep ponds, pits or rivers. There is a need to learn survival skills in untamed waters."

Alok Singh, a resident of Greater Noida, maintains that swimming should be made compulsory in all schools. Community pools should also be built and people motivated to at least learn basic swimming. "Currently, it is only a pastime, mainly to beat the heat in summer," he said.

Om Raizada from Sector P3, Greater Noida, summed it up, "In a country where people have little means to navigate floodwaters and where life jackets are often unavailable, your safety is entirely in your own hands. Learn to swim and stay vigilant."

(With inputs from Meenakshi Sinha in Noida)