Edna Sharma: From National Champion to a Legacy of Producing Champions in Indian Swimming
Some sporting journeys are defined by medals. Others are defined by the athletes who come after them. Edna Sharma represents both. A former Indian international swimmer, national champion, record holder, and experienced swimming coach, Edna Sharma has dedicated decades to competitive swimming and athlete development — a journey that has, in recent years, extended into the growing world of finswimming as well.
The Underwater Sports Association (India) — USAI, the country's official Underwater Sports Federation of India, is proud to spotlight a career that spans generations, disciplines, and continents.
From Delhi Champion to International Swimmer
Edna Sharma's competitive swimming journey began in Delhi, where she established herself as one of the country's leading swimmers of her generation. She was a Delhi State Champion from 1979 to 1986, while also becoming a National School Champion and YMCA Swimming Champion. Her performances at the national level eventually resulted in a remarkable achievement: she became a Women's National Championship Record Holder with 12 records.
Her performances earned her opportunities to represent India internationally. In 1979, she represented India at the Indo-Sri Lankan Championship in Sri Lanka. She later represented India at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, one of the most significant achievements of her competitive career, and went on to represent India at the 1984 Pre-Asian Games in South Korea, further establishing herself as an accomplished international swimmer.
Her achievements extended beyond conventional swimming as well — Edna became a National Champion in Synchronized Swimming and was also recognised as a Limca Book Record Holder.
A Champion Who Chose to Build Champions
While many athletes conclude their sporting careers when they leave competitive competition, Edna Sharma took another path. She moved increasingly into coaching and athlete development, transforming her experience as an elite swimmer into a platform for developing young talent.
Her coaching philosophy has been shaped by first-hand experience at the highest levels of competitive swimming. Having experienced national and international competition herself, she has been able to guide swimmers not only in technical development but also in understanding the discipline, consistency, and competitive mindset required to perform at elite levels.
Athletes Developed at National and International Levels
Among the athletes she has coached are:
- Pulkit Sharma — Participant at the 2018 Asian Games
- Kushagra Rawat — Gold medallist in CBSE, School Nationals, and various competitions
- Bhavya Sachdeva — Three-time gold medallist at the Junior Nationals held in Pune in 2018, and gold medallist at the School Nationals in 2017
- Sumit Mahour — Gold medallist at zonal and other competitions
- Gurpreet Singh — Gold medallist at zonal and other competitions
- Koshish Sharma — Gold medallist at zonal and other competitions
- Kunal Sharma — Gold medallist in CBSE, School Nationals, and various events
- Satakshi Sharma — Delhi State gold medallist and successful competitor at various events
- Aaliyah Singh — Gold medallist at various events and Delhi State silver medallist
- Kartik Tokas — Delhi State gold medallist and successful competitor at various events
From 2019 through 2026, Edna Sharma's coaching journey has continued to produce swimmers who have reached the national stage — her students competing as national swimmers and record holders, reflecting a sustained record of athlete development rather than a single generation of success.
Success Beyond Swimming: Finswimming
Edna Sharma's influence has also extended into the growing discipline of finswimming. Her students have achieved podium finishes in finswimming competitions, and her athletes competed at the Egypt Master Federation Cup in finswimming, where her students collectively achieved six gold medals — a remarkable haul that speaks to the depth of technical grounding she brings from decades of elite swimming coaching.
This crossover reflects a broader pattern seen across India's underwater sports community: many of the country's strongest finswimming talents are being shaped by coaches with deep roots in conventional competitive swimming, brought into the sport through the structured pathways supported by USAI, India's recognised Underwater Sports Federation in India.
Giving Back to the Sport Through Leadership
Edna Sharma has represented Delhi as a Team Manager and Coach at School Nationals and Khelo India Games, contributing to teams that achieved the Overall Champions Trophy for three consecutive years. She represented India as a coach at the World School Games in Budapest, Hungary, in 2017, and previously served as an Indian Coach at the Pacific School Games in Adelaide in 2016.
A Champion Who Still Competes
Perhaps one of the most distinctive aspects of Edna Sharma's journey is that her relationship with competitive swimming did not end when her elite international career did. She continues to swim and participate in Masters swimming competitions, where she continues to achieve podium finishes. She has also been selected for the 2nd Asian Masters Swimming competition, adding another international chapter to a career that has already included representation for India as both an athlete and an international coach.
From Record Holder to Record Maker
Edna Sharma's career can be viewed through two very different sets of records. The first are her own: Delhi State Champion, national-level champion, international Indian swimmer, 12-time Women's National Championship record holder, National Synchronized Swimming Champion, and Limca Book Record Holder.
The second set belongs to the athletes she has helped develop. From national champions and national record holders to international competitors and finswimming medallists, her coaching career has created a legacy that extends well beyond her own achievements.
A Legacy That Continues
Edna Sharma's journey spans generations of Indian swimming. She has experienced the sport from almost every perspective possible — as a Delhi champion, national record holder, international representative, national champion, international coach, team manager, mentor, and, even today, a Masters competitor. Her story demonstrates that sporting excellence is not defined by one medal, one championship, or one generation. It is built over decades: a champion in the pool, a mentor on the deck, and now, a contributor to the rise of finswimming within India's broader underwater sports landscape.
USAI, as India's official Underwater Sports Association and Underwater Sports Federation of India, is proud to recognise coaches like Edna Sharma, whose depth of experience continues to raise the technical standard of athletes entering finswimming from a conventional swimming background.
Stay Connected
For more profiles of the coaches, athletes, and leaders shaping underwater sports and finswimming in India, keep visiting underwatersportsindia.com — the official website of the Underwater Sports Association (India), USAI.