Watch: 13-year-old para-swimmer with autism covers 28.5 km from Sri Lanka to India

A 13-year-old girl with autism created history by swimming 28.5 kilometres in 13 hours. Jiya Rai, an Indian para-swimmer, started swimming from Palk Strait, Talaimannar in Sri Lanka and in 13 hours she reached Arichalmunai in Dhanushkodi, Tamil Nadu. With this, Rai has become the youngest and fastest female swimmer in the world to swim across the Palk Strait. The previous record was held by swimmer Bula Chowdhary. The Arjuna Awardee had set the previous record in 2004, swimming for 13 hours and 52 minutes. Jiya Rai is the daughter of an Indian Navy officer working in Mumbai. Her parents first learned of her condition when she was a toddler. She began her swimming training on the advice of a doctor. A massive crowd greeted the 13-year-old on the beach, applauding and clapping for her. Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) C Sylendra Babu also presented the girl with a souvenir for her accomplishment.

Tamil Nadu | 13-year-old autistic girl, Jiya Rai swam from Sri Lanka's Thalaimannar to Arichalmunai's Dhanushkodi in 13 hours on Sunday

She was received by a large gathering at the Indian shore led by DGP C Sylendra Babu pic.twitter.com/G38wbPwMaB

— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2022

The Indian Navy also congratulated Jiya and shared a congratulatory note on its official Facebook page. Check Indian Navy’s Facebook post here:

The event was held to raise autism awareness, celebrate India’s 75th anniversary of independence and strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties, according to the Indian Navy’s Facebook post. The Navy also shared some pictures of Rai swimming holding the national flag with pride. According to the post, the swimming event was organised by the Para-Swimming Federation of India. The event was attended by senior Indian Navy officers among others. This is not Jiya’s first accomplishment; in 2021, she scripted history when she swam the 36-km Bandra-Worli Sea Link to the Gateway of India in just 8 hours and 40 minutes. Rai also received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2022 in the category of open water swimming. She is pursuing her studies at a Navy Children School.