22/03/2026
FOR 20 YEARS, THIS TEACHER HAS SWUM ACROSS A RIVER EVERY SINGLE DAY TO TEACH MATH. HE'S NEVER BEEN LATE ONCE.
His name is Abdul Malik. Every morning, he wades into the Kadalundi River in Kerala, India, with his books, lunch, and a fresh set of clothes sealed in a plastic bag. He uses a rubber tire for support and swims across the river. It takes him 15 to 30 minutes. Once he reaches the other side, he changes behind a boulder and walks the rest of the way to the Muslim Lower Primary School in Padinjattumuri, where he teaches mathematics.
He's been doing this every single day since 1994. More than 20 years. In that time, he has never been late to school. Not once.
The school where Malik teaches is surrounded by water on three sides. The alternative route by road is a 12-kilometer journey that requires switching between three different buses and takes nearly three hours each way. For a full year, Malik endured that exhausting commute. Then he looked at the river and made a decision.
Swimming was faster. Swimming was more reliable. Swimming meant he would never let his students down.
So he started swimming. And he never stopped.
The river is not always kind. During monsoon season, the current becomes fierce. Tree trunks and debris float past him. He's encountered snakes in the water. The water level changes constantly, making boats unreliable. But Malik has never let fear stop him. He's a strong swimmer, and he says the creatures in the water are harmless. The river, he believes, is just another obstacle. And obstacles don't get to decide whether children receive an education.
His students call him "Tube Master" because of the tire tube he uses to cross the river. They greet him every morning with smiles. They know what it takes for him to get there. And they never take it for granted.
Malik isn't just a teacher who swims. He's also a passionate environmentalist. He organizes regular river clean-up drives with his students.