"150 medals stolen" – Padma Shri awardee swimmer Bula Choudhury robbed

Legendary Indian swimmer and Padma Shri awardee Bula Choudhury's home in Hindmotor, West Bengal was robbed.

The thieves made away with over 150 medals and mementos won by Choudhury, as per a report in Times of India.

The loss also included the Padma Shri brooch she was honoured with in 2009.

They took away things that are of no value to them but invaluable to me," Choudhury said.

"From 1979, when I started competing as a nine-year-old, till I retired in 1995, all that I earned were medals. They are all gone," she added.

Choudhury, who now resides in Kasba, had last visited the house in Hindmotor a month ago. It was her brother, who first realised robbery when he opened the house on Friday to have it cleaned.

Choudhury had first shot to fame, winning six medals at an age group national swimming competition back in 1979. She bagged ten medals across two editions of South Asian Games back in 1984 and 1991.

She even crossed the English Channel twice in 1989 and 1999.