Four days against the tide: Elvis Ali Hazarika becomes first Assamese to complete 350 km sea relay

“It took a total of four days, and it’s hard to explain how I felt. It was an unforgettable experience.”

Those words from Elvis Ali Hazarika still echo with the raw thrill of triumph as he stepped onto dry land on February 9 afternoon. The adventure swimmer from Assam had just etched his name into history: the first from his state to complete a grueling 350-kilometer swim relay across the open sea. Over nearly 80 hours across four relentless days, Hazarika battled powerful tides, swarm of jellyfish, exhaustion, and isolation, pushing the boundaries of human endurance in a feat rare even for Indian adventure sports.

The journey began in the pre-dawn chill of February 6, around 4 a.m., when the world was still cloaked in darkness. "I was really anxious. A little nervous too," Hazarika recalls. "The air was cool. The water was of normal temperature, thankfully." With only a support boat nearby, he plunged into the vast, inky sea in Goa, kicking off what would become a test of will unlike any other. For the next four days, the team rotated swims in relay fashion, covering the massive distance stroke by stroke, with Hazarika at the forefront.

Speaking exclusively to India Today NE after his finish, Hazarika opened up about the raw challenges. Fear lurked in the currents, exhaustion clawed at his muscles, and swarms of jellyfish encircling him and his team. Yet, remarkably, doubt never crept in. "To be honest, I was really focused and headstrong about completing the task," he says. "There was not a moment where I thought I would not be able to do it. I was both mentally and physically at my best throughout."

What drives someone to this extreme? Hazarika credits his team's adventurous spirit. "We as a team have always been very adventurous. We like the idea of taking up monumental challenges. Maybe this is why we came up with the idea." Preparation was no afterthought: rigorous training in open waters, daily meditation sessions, and sheer willpower built the foundation. "Every swim tests you," he adds, reflecting on the solitude of endless horizons. "It definitely was a test. It was challenging. In every swim, I find myself going beyond my limits. I guess it is my will to be the best that drives me forward."

That isolation, hours alone with the sea's moods, the support boat a distant speck, shaped the swim profoundly. No crowds, no cheers, just the rhythm of arms slicing water and the mind's quiet resolve. Hazarika emerged not just stronger, but with a sharper sense of his own edges. The relay ended in the afternoon of February 9, a historic milestone that spotlights Assam's rising stars in adventure sports.

For Hazarika, this isn't just personal glory. "When I started channel swimming, there was no one else from our state who was doing it," he shares. "And I have seen that over the past few years, young children and even the youth have been inspired by me to take up open water swimming challenges." Becoming the first Assamese to conquer this scale means everything. "And for me, being able to inspire young Assamese swimmers to try open water swimming is the greatest prize I can ever achieve. Whatever I am today, is for and because of the people of Assam. I will keep pushing my limits till I can and keep inspiring people till my very last breath."

"This kind of adventure swimming is very rare in India. But I feel proud and happy that I was able to complete it. It was extremely tiring, the swim overall", writes Elvis Ali Hazarika on his Facebook page. 



Across Assam and India, Hazarika's swim is already rippling outward, hailed as a beacon for young athletes. It showcases raw courage, unyielding endurance, and determination, proving that from the rivers of Assam to the endless seas, limits are made to be redrawn.