Battling autism Jiya Rai creates world record by swimming

Jiya Rai, a 13-year-old autistic girl from Mumbai, became the fastest swimmer to cross the Palk Strait, breaking the world record. She covered 29 km in 13 hours and 10 minutes. The distance swam between Talaimanna in Sri Lanka and Dhanushkodi in Arichalamunai in Tamil Nadu.

Jiya is the daughter of Madan Rai, Master Chief of Arms of INS Kunjali of the Indian Navy.

Autism is called autism spectrum disorder in medical language. Autism is a neurological and developmental disorder that causes difficulties in communication, reading and writing, and social interaction.

Children with autism have difficulty communicating. They have difficulty expressing themselves through words or through gestures, facial expressions, and touch.

Jiya has become the youngest female swimmer to swim across the Pak Strait. She started swimming from Talaimannar at 4:22 am on Sunday (March 20, 2022) and reached Dhanushkodi at 5:32 pm.

She made a record-breaking previous record by facing all the difficulties. Before her, this record was in the name of Bhula Chowdhary. Bhula Chowdhary covered this distance in 2004 in 13 hours and 52 minutes.

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Jiya has proved that no matter what the circumstances of a person are if she is determined, difficulties automatically make a way.

The event was organized by the Para Swimming Federation of India in collaboration with several agencies including the Swimming Federation of India, Sports Development Authority, Tamil Nadu, and Autism Society of India.

When Jiya was swimming in Sri Lankan waters, the Sri Lankan Navy provided her with search and rescue cover, while she was in Indian waters, the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard ensured her safety.

Goa Shipyard Limited provided financial assistance to Jiya.

Jiya was greeted by a huge crowd on the beach, clapping for her. Tamil Nadu's Director General of Police (DGP) C Silendra Babu also presented Jiya with a memento for her achievement.

Ramanathapuram's SP E Karthik and city vice-president Dakshinamurthy also greeted her and presented her with a shawl.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also made a special mention of Jiya's achievement in Mann Ki Baat.

On February 15, 2020, Jiya became the world's first girl with autism to swim 14 km from Elephanta Island to Gateway of India in 3 hours and 27 minutes.

Jiya also became the first para swimmer to reach Vasai Fort by swimming from Arnala Fort to Vasai Fort in January 2021, covering a distance of 22 km in 7 hours and 04 minutes.

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Jiya Worli Sea Link to Gateway of India in February 2021, 36 km in 8 hours 40 minutes. Became the first youngest (12 years) and a girl with Autistic Spectrum Disorder to cover the distance.

In March 2021, Jiya won 3 gold medals in the 20th National Para-Swimming Championship 2020.

Jiya's name is recorded in the Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records. She has also won many medals in National and State Swimming Tournaments.

In 2022, Jiya was awarded the Prime Minister's National Child Award. It is the highest honor for Indian citizens below 18 years of age.

Jiya has so far won 24 gold medals and one silver medal in her national, state, and open water sea swimming championships. Jiya holds the world record for the fastest woman swimming in open water at a speed of 14 km/h.

Autism swimming prodigy Jiya now aims to become the first para and the youngest swimmer to swim across the world's seven seas.

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How did the journey of swimming begin?

Jiya is a student at Navy Children's School, Colaba. Her father Madan Rai is an officer in the Navy. Her mother Rachna Rai is a chemistry teacher.

Jiya's family is a native of Katai Alimuddinpur village located in Sagdi tehsil of Azamgarh.

Jiya was born on May 10, 2008. When the family was celebrating her second birthday, her parents realized that she was playing alone instead of playing with children of her age.

In those days her father was posted in Cochin. Seeing this difference in behavior, her father took her to the doctor for an examination. On preliminary examination, the doctor found that she had autistic spectrum disorder.

The intellectual development of children suffering from this disease is slow.

The doctor told their parents that such children cannot speak much but they have more energy than other children.

Jiya could not sleep at night until she got tired of running for one and a half hours during the day. With no proper and safe place to run, Jiya was drawn to the swimming pool.

Now her father was transferred to Goa. It was rainy season there at that time. Running a two-year-old girl on the road put her in danger of falling.

One day Madan Rai went to the Navy's swimming pool with Jiya. There she started teaching swimming. Her father found Jiya enjoying swimming. Due to swimming for one and a half hours every day, she used to fall asleep after getting tired.

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Swimming acted as therapy for Jiya. And swimming slowly became Jiya's passion.

When Jiya was six years old, there was a swimming competition at her school. This competition brought out her true potential and took everyone by surprise.

In every swimming event Jiya participated, she won gold medals and did all these feats with new records.

What then began a remarkable journey for Jiya, her parents were advised to help her get a professional swimming coach to further hone her talent.

But it was not that easy. Jiya was able to communicate with her parents, but she could not understand what the coach was saying. To help her daughter, the mother quit her job and started taking swimming lessons from a coach, so that she could teach Jiya properly.

After realizing that Gia learns best by watching action and visual illustrations, her parents put together a collection of videos of swimming legend Michael Phelps and began showing them to Jia.

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The major turning point in Jiya's life was the National Open Water Sea Swimming Championship event in 2019 at Porbandar, Gujarat. Jiya was barely 10 years old, and her parents believed that she could run 5 km. Will do well in swimming. But the qualifying age for this event was 14 years. Fortunately, after an initial rejection, the organizers granted permission as a special entry after witnessing Jiya's exploits in the practice pool.

Jiya not only outperformed all other swimmers but also did so with a national record time.

No weakness or circumstance can hinder you in any way. Just recognize the opportunity and strike the hammer on the hot iron.

As long as you are unable to show courage yourself, anyone is capable of misleading you. Circumstances are not an obstacle in your way, but your biggest enemy is your disbelief in yourself.

Love and believe in yourself only then you will be able to make your way.

Jiya, you keep creating records like this. We wish you a healthy and successful life.

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