Mumbai-based Jiya Rai secured her place as the youngest and first special girl in the world to reach this milestone in the Indian record book, the Asian record book and the Limka record book, after Schreiber- Kennedy Student Achievement Award – 2023. For her performance in open water swimming.
Presented by the Department of Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) of the United States, Jiya virtually accepts the award at an awards ceremony held at DADD’s Annual Conference in Clearwater, Florida on January 19 Did.
DADD is a special interest association with the Council for Exceptional Children, the world’s largest international professional organization dedicated to supporting the needs of students with disabilities.
On December 29, Jiya swam as part of the relay team in the world’s longest open water sea swimming relay, covering a distance of 1100 kilometers. registered the name of
The 14-year-old girl with autism, the daughter of Madan Rai and Master Chief of the Indian Navy’s Arms II, recently crossed the Polk Strait, the strait connecting India and Sri Lanka, in 13 hours and 10 minutes. 29 km. She became the youngest and fastest female swimmer in the world to cross Polk Strait.
Jiya Lai |
Her swimming record was highly praised by Indian Prime Minister Mann Ki Batt podcast. Jiya also won the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, the highest award for citizens under 18 in 2022, and in Uttar in 2021, she has been promoted by the Government of Pradesh as a role model for the empowerment of persons with disabilities. Awarded. She has also received her Stree Samman Award for 2021 from the Government of Maharashtra.
Jia was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Speech Delay at the age of two. Her parents started her swimming, based on her doctor’s observations, and her repetitive knocks, a hallmark of her diagnosis, can be intentionally applied to water sports as her therapy. .
“It was hard to get her 2-year-old in the water, but I had to do it for her. The child of a naval officer, she has water in her genes. Our work culture is all about water and I trusted our infrastructure and let her go,” said Madan Rai, noting that swimming requires training and discipline and self-discipline. He added that teaching children with autism can be difficult.
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