03/24/2026
Meet Abdul Malik, a teacher from Kerala, India — who has been crossing the Kadalundi River by swimming to reach school… since 1994.
Every morning, with his books and clothes sealed in a plastic bag, he floats on a rubber tube and swims 15–30 minutes across the river. Then he changes and walks to class… like it’s just another normal day. 🐒📖
Why?
Because the alternative is a 12 km journey with multiple buses taking nearly 3 hours each way.
So he chose the river.
🌧️ During monsoons, the current turns fierce.
🌿 Debris floats past.
🐍 Even snakes appear in the water.
But he never stops.
In over 20 years, he has never been late. Not once. ⏰
His students call him “Tube Master” — and greet him every morning knowing exactly what it takes for him to be there. ❤️
But that’s not all…
He also teaches kids how to swim, organizes river clean-ups, and turns the very river he crosses into a classroom for life lessons. 🌱
By his own estimate, he’s swum nearly 700 km over the years.
And yet, he says:
“I don’t have big dreams… I just want to reach school on time and be a good role model.”
No fame. No excuses. No missed days.
Just a man… crossing a river every day…
so his students can cross into a better future. 💙
