Dreams can be audacious, particularly for para swimmers, whose determination is limitless. They overcome challenges with resilience, aiming for excellence and inspiring those around them. Jiya Rai, a 16-year-old girl with Autism Spectrum Disorder, whose parents taught her to swim to overcome taunts from fellow children of her disorder, exemplifies this spirit. The small-town teenager, hailing originally from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh,  swam the formidable  English Channel, a distance of 34 km, in 17 hours and 25 minutes and became the youngest and fastest para swimmer in the world to achieve this feat in solo swimming last month. In the 150-year history of the Channel swimming, Jiya is not only the first Autism Spectrum Disorder girl to achieve this feat but

Jiya began her heroic effort on 28 July 24 from Abbotts Cliff, England and finished at Pte De La Courte- Dune, France in the early hours of 29 July 24. Jiya dedicated this swim for Autism awareness and in recognition of this endeavour, English Channel Sea Swimming 2024 from 21 to 28 July 24 was dedicated for autism awareness.
 
The Channel is known for its treacherous currents. Its water temperature in July is 18⁰ C and can cause hypothermia. Besides the hazards of jellyfish and debris, the Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world with over 600 tankers, ferries and other vessels crossing daily. Weather conditions change abruptly making it almost impossible to plan the swim. According to the Channel Swimming Association rules, the swimmer cannot leave the water or touch the pilot boat or anyone who accompanies the swimmer. Food and liquids are handed over by the boat crew using a long stick.
 
More people have scaled Mount Everest than swim across the English Channel. In the last 100 years, only about 1,700 people have swum across the English Channel, whereas, as of 2013, 6,871 summits have been recorded by 4,042 people.

Overcoming all odds

Jiya was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of two. Jiya’s parents, Indian Navy MC at Arms II Madan Rai and her mother, Rachna Rai, a teacher, took her swimming to overcome taunts for her disorder by other children and even adults. They guided her through videos and eventually Jiya found her passion for swimming leading to a thriving para swimming career adorned with numerous accolades.

The indomitable Jiya won wide acclaim for her swimming prowess, including in the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (Prime Minister’s National  Children’s Prize). In March 2022, she created a new world record for the fastest swim across the Palk Strait, crossing the 29 km stretch in 13 hours and 10 minutes.
 
She was awarded the prestigious Shriver-Kennedy Student Achievement Award-2023 for her performance in Open Water Swimming. This award was presented by the Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) based in the USA at a ceremony held at DADD’s annual conference in Clearwater, Florida on 19 January 2023.

 Jiya also participated in the 77th edition of the Open Water Long Distance Swimming Competition organised by Murshidabad Swimming Association in Bhagirathi River on 03 Sep 23. Only 14 of the 24 participants in the 81 km event completed the swim in the stipulated 13 h 30 minutes. Jiya completed the swim in 13 hours 10 minutes and was the youngest and the only special child to have done so in the competition’s 77 years history.

(The author, a military affairs analyst, is a former spokesperson, Defence Ministry and Indian Army. Views are personal. He can be reached at wordsword02@gmail.com)