At 4:22 am on March 20, 2022, while most of Mumbai slept, 13‑year‑old Jiya Rai, daughter of an Indian Navy sailor, plunged into the dark, restless waters off Talaimannar, Sri Lanka. Her goal, swim 29 km across the tempestuous Palk Strait to India’s Dhanushkodi, all in one epic push. She emerged on the other side at 5:32 pm, a full 13 hours and 10 minutes later, breaking the longstanding record held since 2004. Jiya became both the youngest and the fastest female to cross this international stretch.
Facing 49 km/h winds whipped up by a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, Jiya didn’t flinch. Naval escorts from Sri Lanka and India kept close, and the Coast Guard watched her safety but it was her own resolve that carried her through.
Jiya’s journey began much earlier. Diagnosed with autism at age two, her “repetitive knocking” was channelled into therapeutic swimming. That spark soon turned into blazing talent. By puberty, she had amassed national acclaim at age 12, she swam 36 km from Worli Sea Link to Gateway of India in 8 hours 40 minutes, becoming the youngest autistic girl to do so. Other feats include a 22 km swim from Arnala Fort to Vasai and a 14 km stretch from Elephanta to Gateway, each pushing past perceived limits.
Supported by the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Para‑Swimming Federation of India, Autism Society and sponsors like Goa Shipyard Ltd., Jiya’s swim was more than personal glory, it was national pride. She was welcomed by dignitaries, including TN’s police chief and senior naval officials, and received the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar in 2022.
Yet despite breaking records and gathering medals, 24 golds and one silver, Jiya stays humble. “I don’t think much while swimming,” she once said. “I just know I need to be ahead.” Now, her eyes are set even higher, to swim across the world’s seven oceans and light the way for children with autism everywhere.
Jiya Rai didn’t just cross a strait, she transcended every expectation, proving courage knows no age or label.
