Kolkata,Aug 20: Reinforcing its commitment to fostering experiential learning and meaningful intellectual engagement, Techno India Group, Eastern India’s largest education provider, hosted the tenth Edition of its acclaimed talk series ‘Unwind – Boi Kotha Kow’ with Sayani Das, an elite open-water swimmer and one of India’s most accomplished endurance athletes.
Titled “Beyond Limits: Endurance, Exploration & The Human Spirit,” the session offered students inspiring insights into the world of ultra-marathon swimming, resilience, and the pursuit of extraordinary goals. Drawing from her remarkable journey across some of the world’s toughest water channels, Sayani Das shared her experiences of endurance, discipline, and mental strength required to excel in extreme conditions.
Reflecting on her journey, Sayani spoke about growing up in a small town and nurturing a dream that took her across international waters. With over 20 years of experience in competitive swimming, she has successfully completed six out of the seven challenges of the prestigious Ocean’s Seven Challenge and is among the first Asian female swimmers to achieve this feat. She also shared her historic achievements, including crossing the North Channel as the first Indian female swimmer and completing the Strait of Gibraltar crossing as the fastest and youngest female swimmer of the 2025 season. Her journey, she emphasized, is rooted in perseverance, resilience, and an unwavering belief in pushing one’s limits.
“We introduced the concept of Unwind – Boi Kotha Kow with a vision to inspire young minds to move beyond textbooks and engage with individuals whose journeys reflect courage, perseverance and a relentless pursuit of excellence. The students learn from them that why failures should not be considered as blockages but as stepping stones to success. Sayani Das’s extraordinary accomplishments in the field of open-water swimming exemplify how determination and discipline can help overcome the most formidable challenges. Such interactions motivate our students to dream big and pursue their ambitions with dedication and purpose,” said Prof. Manoshi Roychowdhury, Co-Chairperson, Techno India Group.
In an engaging interaction with Prof. Manoshi Roychowdhury, the discussion centred on resilience, discipline, and the importance of balancing physical endurance with intellectual growth. Sayani also shared how her academic background in History and Anthropology has shaped her understanding of human resilience and adaptability.
The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, where students actively engaged with the speaker, asking insightful questions about global swimming challenges, sports careers, and the mindset required to achieve excellence at an international level.
A brainchild of Prof. Manoshi Roychowdhury, Unwind – Boi Kotha Kow has evolved into a distinctive platform that brings students face-to-face with eminent personalities from diverse fields, encouraging dialogue, curiosity, and experiential learning beyond the classroom. Over the years, the series has featured distinguished personalities from cinema, governance, global leadership, science and arts.
