Thalassery: To be awarded the title of ‘Ironman’, one has to swim for 1.9 km in the sea, cycle for 90 km and run for 21.1 kms. It took Nidhin Valsan eight hours, three minutes and 53 seconds to complete this feat. What makes this feat even more magnanimous is the fact that North Goa Police Superintendent and Crime Branch SP Nidhin Valsan is a leukaemia survivor.

1450 people participated in the 2022 Goa Triathlon. Of these only 800 people including Nithin completed the race to be crowned with the Ironman title. Nithin entered this gruelling event after being in treatment for three years for acute leukaemia. 

He first noticed the disease symptoms while working as the Crime branch Superintendent in 2020. By then his cancer had reached the fourth stage. He sought treatment at the Malabar Cancer Center in Kodiyeri. It was his decision to take up treatment in a government facility. 

The treatment was carried out under the expert care of Dr Chandran Nair and was cured of the ailment in November 2021. He began training for the Triathlon in February 2022. He pushed his limits by getting up at four in the morning and training for four hours daily.

Nithin held the 6th rank for SSLC exam in Kerala. He joined the force as a 2012 batch IPS officer after completing his engineering degree in Electronics and Communication and working with various companies. 

Before being posted to Goa, he worked in Lakshadweep for three years after having served as an ASP and Deputy Commissioner in Delhi.

He found mention in the Limca Book of Records for solving a theft involving Rs 26.14 crores within a limited amount of time while he was posted as the Delhi ACP. 

He was congratulated by many including Goa governor PS Sreedharan Pillai for achieving the Ironman title.

Nithin is the son of CP Valsan, Rt. Sub Divisional Engineer of BSNL and U. Chandri, Rt. Deputy Collector. Wife: Remya Venugopal (Engineer, ICOR) and children Ishan and Niyathi (students).