Rajan – the famous swimming elephant – breathed his last at the age of 66 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A star attraction at the Barefoot Resort in Havelock Island, he used to amaze tourists with his graceful swimming skills. He was the last of his kind.
Rajan’s story takes us back to 2004 when he was left stranded as his owner didn’t have the funds to take care of him. But things turned for the better in 2006. He became famous after he featured in a Hollywood movie, The Fall. You can catch him in the trailer here (he appears at 0:36 seconds):
And after that, there was no looking back.
He was later adopted by the Barefoot Resort, who took care of him till his very last day. Rajan helped the resort raise funds by swimming with photographers and tourists.
He became a YouTube sensation after his photos and videos went viral on social media.