13-year-old Mumbai girl with autism swims from Sri Lanka to Tamil Nadu in 13 hours

Kochi, Mar 22: A 13-year-old Maharashtra girl suffering from Autistic spectrum disorder has set a new record by swimming across the Palk Strait from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka to Dhanuskodi in Tamil Nadu, covering a distance of 29 km in 13 hours and 10 minutes on Sunday. The swimming commenced at 4.22 am on Sunday from Talaimanar and concluded at Dhanushkodi at 5.32 pm.

 

 

Jiya Rai is the daughter of a senior sailor of the Indian Navy, Madan Rai, MC-AT-ARMS II of INS Kunjali, and a student of Navy Children School. With this feat, she has become the youngest and fastest female swimmer in the world to swim across the Palk Strait. The record was earlier held by Ms. Bula Chowdhary who swam the distance in 13 hours 52 minutes in 2004.

 

The event was conducted by the Para-Swimming Federation of India (PSFI) with cooperation from many agencies including the Swimming Federation of India, Sports Development Authority, Tamil Nadu and the Autism Society of India. The Goa Shipyard Ltd. provided the swimmer financial sponsorship for the event.

 

During the event, the Sri Lankan Navy provided search and rescue cover in Sri Lankan waters while the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard provided similar support in Indian waters. Jiya Rai was earlier bestowed the “Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Purashkar (PMRBP) - 2022 the highest honour given to citizens below 18 years. She is the youngest and the first autistic girl to Swim from Worli sea link to Gateway of India, covering a distance of 36 km in February 2021.

 

Jiya is the world record holder in the open water swimming. She is on a mission to become the first and youngest para swimmer in the world to swim seven oceans. In February 2021, Jiya became the youngest (12 years) and first girl with an autistic spectrum disorder to swim 36 km in 8 hours and 40 minutes from the Worli sea link to Gateway of India.

 

In January 2021, Jiya became the first para swimmer to swim from Arnala Fort to Vasai Fort, covering a distance of 22 km in 7 hours and 04 minutes. In February 2020, Jiya became the first autistic spectrum disorder girl in the world to swim 14 km in 3 hours and 27 minutes from Elephanta Island to Gateway of India. Her name has been recorded in Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records.

 

In March 2021, Jiya had won 3 Gold Medal in the Twentieth National para-swimming Championship-2020. She has won 24 Gold Medal and 1 Silver Medal in the National and State Swimming/Open Water Sea Swimming Championship.

 

Recipient of many awards Jiya Rai is on a mission to swim in all oceans of the world. A true champion indeed.