He can be ascribed as the country's most prolific long-distance swimmer. He is Prabhat Koli, a 23-year-old swimmer from Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. 

Recently, Koli drew the attention of the Indian swimming fraternity as well as the media by receiving the highest award in adventure sports in India, Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award in 2018, presented by President Ramnath Kovind. Then again Prabhat hogged the limelight of the media by receiving the highest award the Maharashtra government presents, Shiv Chhatrapati Award. 

But Koli deserved more than these trophies. He is the youngest long-distance swimmer in the world to have completed Ocean Sevens this year. 

Ocean Sevens is called the toughest challenge in open water swimming. A swimmer has to complete the English Channel (33km), the Catalina Channel (32.3km) of California in the United States, the Molokai Channel (42km) in Hawaii, the Tsugaru Strait (19.5km) in Japan, the North Channel (34.5km) between Ireland and Scotland, the Strait of Gibraltar (14.4km) between Spain and Morocco, and the Cook Strait. The statistics show that only 22 swimmers have successfully finished the seven swims, and the previous record for the youngest swimmer before Koli was held by Australian Thomas Pembroke, who finished them all at the age of 29.

Koli completed it this year in March, crossing Cook Strait which covers 26 km. Along with this rare achievement Koli as the world's youngest swimmer overcame several difficult challenges while completing the swims in France, Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland as well as several swims in the Indian and Arabian seas. 

But unfortunately, Prabhat who started long-distance swimming in West Bengal, participating in 81km on Bhagarathi and 14km swim on Hooghly river, has only received Rs 5 lakh along with the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure trophy and then Rs 4 lakh after receiving the Shiv Chhatrapati Award.

Raju Koli, Prabhat’s father commented on the issue, "Tenzing Norgay National award is equivalent to Arjuna award. Still, no sports quota has been kept for Koli as open water swimming is an adventure sport. I have gone through the eligibility for the sports quota. The national awardee of physical efficiency is included in one of the conditions for respective athletes to get a job through sports quota. But, ridiculously, open water swimming which is within the adventure sports has not been included in the sports quota. That is why Prabhat has not yet got any government job and I do not feel he will get it ultimately.”

The expenditure of Prabhat, only to complete Ocean Sevens reached more than Rs 80 lakhs. Raju Koli who worked with Bhabha Atomic Research Center had to take VRS in 2022 to get a bulk amount of money for Prabhat. He had to break all his Fixed Deposits. Even he sold his residential house and now living in a rented house. 

When asked whether he appealed for any financial assistance to any corporate house Raju Koli explained, "There are a lot of big corporate houses in Mumbai, especially, in our locality and the companies spend funds on CSR projects. But you will get this assistance only if you have recommendations." 

Prabhat is very much aware of his father and mother Shilpa Koli’s struggle and sacrifice for him. He is very much aware of the truth that how his parents guided him since his childhood to master the art of open water swimming, taking him to even Naini Lake for training for the acclimatization of the water temperature before Prabhat went to conquer the English Channel. That is why he stated, "My key motivation is my parents. I continuously motivate myself by whispering that I must have to win the challenges for my parents who have done limitless struggle and sacrifice for me only since my childhood.”

The prodigy while commenting on the toughest channels, said, "Molokai and North Channel were the most difficult for me complete. The weather was too choppy, and unpredictable. I swam almost for 17 hours to cross Molokai. I could not believe I would be able to swim for 17 hours. The water was extremely cold and the weather I said was too unpredictable. However, crossing Cook Strait was also extremely difficult due to the terrific wind that was blowing 50 km per hour. I have been also mostly satisfied after crossing Molokai Channel.”

Prabhat and his father, both had a lot of gratitude for MBE awardee legendary British female long-distance swimmer Sally Minty Gravett for guiding Prabhat. Prabhat said, “I am indebted to Sally for inspiring me continuously. She was present on the monitoring boat in my most of the swims. Whenever she could not come, watched me swim through the trackers' link."

Taranath Narayan Shenoy, the physically challenged legendary Indian long-distance swimmer is also an idol of Prabhat Koli. The MBA student said, “Whenever I go through his timing I get inspired and feel if he has done it then I will also be able to overcome the challenges.”

Prabhat is now eyeing another crown in his cabinet. That is Ice Swimming Championship. He revealed, "It takes place in the lakes where the temperature of the water goes below 5 degrees Celcius. It takes place every two years, My target is to win the world championship in 2025."