Saji Valasseril Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Saji Valasseril

• Saji Valasseril was born and raised in Aluva, Kochi.

• Saji started swimming at the age of 6. In an interview, he revealed that he learnt swimming from his father in Periyar river that flows just 1 kilometer away from his house. He added that his father was a swimmer with the Madras Regiment of the Indian Army.

• Unlike other professional swimming trainer, Saji is not a full-time trainer, he is primarily a furniture shop owner.
  

  Saji Valasseril, while giving swimming training session

• In 2007, after witnessing the Thattekad boat accident that killed 18 people including 15, he began providing swimming training to others regardless of their age or physical ability.

• In an interview, Saji mentioned that the 2008 Thekkady boat disaster, where 45 people died, had a lasting impact on him that motivated him to started training his own children in the harsh water of the Periyar river.

• He added that initially, he started giving to only four children-two his own children and two friend’s children.

• In 2012, he founded Valasseril River Swimming Club (VRSC) on the bank of Periyar River. In an interview, he mentioned that in his club he focussed on practical water survival training rather than the competitive swimming.
  

  Saji Valasseril while giving instructions to his students

• Within few years, Saji’s swimming club gained popularity across Ernakulam district.

• His swimming classes are largely free, where the participants contribute only a small voluntary amount of one-time fee of Rs 100 to support safety arrangements such as rescue boats and ambulances. In an interview, Saji mentioned that,

As the number of students started increasing, the authorities raised concerns, so we had to put these measures in place. There hasn’t been a single emergency so far.”

• He starts his training sessions at 4: 30 in the morning that runs from November to May every year, avoiding monsoon season.

• In his swimming training, he created unique learning system in which students progress through 17 levels from Pre-KG to PhD.

• Till date, his club has taught more than 15,000 people to swim.
  

  Saji Valasseril’s students while practicing swimming at Valasseril River Swimming Club (VRSC)

• Saji is known to made special efforts to teach swimming to children with disabilities, including, a 13-years old boy named Adith with speech and hearing impairment, who is known to swim across the Periyar river in 32 minutes in May 2021.

• One of another students Muhammed Aasim, is now an international paraolympic swimmer. In an interview, Saji shared that Aasim was born without arms and with a deformed leg. He helped India win its first gold medal in the mixed 4×50 freestyle relay at the 2026 Para Swimming World Series in Australia.

• He is also recognized as an Adventure Swimming Trainer, for providing swimming lessions to 1000 people in just 2 hours using specialized techniques.

• In May 2026, Saji Valasseril came into news after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised his work during the 134th episode of the radio programme Mann Ki Baat, where Modi highlighted Saji’s contribution to water safety and social services. PM Modi said,

During these summer days, while schools are usually on vacation, I will talk about a class you all want to enrol in. Imagine a school where children, both young and old, attend, where there are no fees, no large buildings, no classrooms, and, most interestingly, classes are held in a river.”

• PM Modi added,

This isn’t a story. This is a true effort. In Aluva, Kerala, Saji Valasheril runs one such swimming club. More than 15,000 people have learned to swim here. Saji ji has also taught swimming to Divyang children. Lying behind this effort, there’s a hidden pain too.”

In Keralam, Saji Valasseril Ji runs a unique swimming club.#MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/jEOJPPFLdw

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 31, 2026