India's first Olympic swimmer Shamsher Khan passes away

Vijayawada: India's first Olympic swimmer Shamsher Khan on Sunday passed away after suffering a heart failure.

Shamsher, 87, is survived by three daughters and two sons.

He lived in a small village, Kaithepalle near Repalle in Guntur district.

"He complained of chest pain in the morning, before we could reach the hospital, he passed away," Shamsher's daughter-in-law M Roushn said.

Shamsher was the first swimmer from the country to participate in the Olympics in 1956.

He secured a passage to the Melbourne Summer Olympics after creating a national record in the 200-meter butterfly event.