Who was the first Indian woman to successfully swim across the English Channel?

Introduction / Context:
The English Channel, the sea stretch between England and France, has long been a challenging route for long-distance swimmers. Completing a solo swim across it is a major achievement. This question focuses on Indian sports history and asks you to identify the first Indian woman who successfully swam the English Channel, an achievement often highlighted as a pioneering milestone for Indian women in sports.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are looking for the first Indian woman to cross the English Channel by swimming.
• Options include Arati Saha, Fathima Beevi, Bachendri Pal, Kadambini Ganguly and Karnam Malleswari.
• Each option is a notable woman, but in different fields such as law, mountaineering, medicine and weightlifting.

Concept / Approach:
Arati Saha was a pioneering long-distance swimmer from India. In 1959 she became the first Asian woman to swim across the English Channel, a feat recognised internationally. Other women listed achieved firsts in their own domains: Fathima Beevi in the judiciary, Bachendri Pal in mountaineering, Kadambini Ganguly in medicine and Karnam Malleswari in Olympic weightlifting. The concept is to match each personality to her specific “first” and pick the one related to Channel swimming.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Arati Saha is associated with swimming and the English Channel. Step 2: Recognise that Bachendri Pal is famous as the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest, which is a mountaineering achievement, not swimming. Step 3: Remember that Fathima Beevi was the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India. Step 4: Know that Kadambini Ganguly was one of the first women doctors in India, and Karnam Malleswari was an Olympic medal-winning weightlifter. Step 5: Therefore, only Arati Saha fits the description related to swimming the English Channel.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by mentally pairing: Arati Saha → English Channel swimmer; Bachendri Pal → Everest climber; Karnam Malleswari → weightlifting medal; Fathima Beevi → Supreme Court judge; Kadambini Ganguly → early woman physician. Recalling these associations clearly separates their achievements so that you do not confuse one historic “first” with another.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Fathima Beevi: First woman judge of the Supreme Court of India, not a Channel swimmer.
Bachendri Pal: First Indian woman to summit Mount Everest, related to mountaineering, not swimming.
Kadambini Ganguly: One of the first women doctors in India; her achievement is in medicine, not sports.
Karnam Malleswari: First Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in weightlifting, unrelated to open-water swimming.

Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to recall that Bachendri Pal was a pioneering woman in a physically demanding adventure sport and mistakenly link her to the English Channel instead of Mount Everest. Another pitfall is to pick any name that “sounds familiar” without recalling the specific field. To avoid this, always connect each name with its exact distinction while revising sports and women’s achievements.

Final Answer:
The first Indian woman to swim across the English Channel was Arati Saha.