MUMBAI: AR Rahman tweeted in support of decorated open-water swimmer Bhakti Sharma, who hopes to put India in the spotlight at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Rahman showed his belief in the concept of crowdfunding and appealed to India to raise funds for her training on Fueladream.

Bhakti Sharma holds a number of world records in long distance swimming. The longest distance she swum is 36 kms. In January 2015, she set a world record by swimming 2.28 kilometres in 41.14 minutes in 1 C temperature. This was in the Antarctic Ocean.

Long distance swimming, also called ‘Open Water Swimming’, has now become an Olympic event. This event involves swimming 10kms and she is training herself to represent India at the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo, Japan. The crowdfunding campaign on Fueladream is to raise funds for her annual training expenses for 2016.

This is what Bhakti has to say, “A. R. Rahman has been an idol for me, and his music has been the one thing I have always turned to for inspiration and motivation. To find him tweeting for me and this Olympic dream that I have for India, is just an unbelievable high; this has spurred and energized me.”

“The tweet from A R Rahman to support Bhakti Sharma's campaign was music to our ears. It takes one hero to recognize another and we are very thrilled for Bhakti,” Fueladream founder Ranganath Thota expresses.

Let's support the talented Bhakti Sharma who's aiming for the Olympics 2020 in Tokyo.https://t.co/eAZFCf4W50"

— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) June 22, 2016