Guwahati, May 24 -- Elvis Ali Hazarika, a well-known swimmer from Assam, is getting ready to do something no Asian has done before: swim in the freezing waters of Antarctica.

At a press meeting held at the Guwahati Press Club, he talked about how hard he is preparing for this challenge. He said it will test both his body and mind.

If he succeeds, he will join a small group of only 54 swimmers from 19 countries who have swum in Antarctica. Out of these, 36 are men and 18 are women. He will be the 37th man to finish this swim.

Elvis said he still needs to raise about Rs 40 to Rs 50 lakh to cover the costs. He will also train in the UK for two months in very cold water, which will cost about Rs 7 to 7.5 lakh.

When he reaches Antarctica, ...