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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

Mumbai Mermaid’s big splash in NY

Mumbai: Mumbai girl Jiya Rai can’t speak, but when she dived into the waters of Manhattan last week, she had a loud message that the world listened to. Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Jiya, 18, has become the world’s first female para-swimmer to complete and bag the prestigious Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. With this she has conquered the English Channel, Catalina Channel and now the formidable 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan, a distance of 48 kms – almost equal to a...

Mumbai Mermaid’s big splash in NY

Mumbai: Mumbai girl Jiya Rai can’t speak, but when she dived into the waters of Manhattan last week, she had a loud message that the world listened to. Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Jiya, 18, has become the world’s first female para-swimmer to complete and bag the prestigious Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. With this she has conquered the English Channel, Catalina Channel and now the formidable 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan, a distance of 48 kms – almost equal to a train ride from CSMT to Panvel. Jiya’s feat entailed 8 hours and 53 minutes of grueling swim in chilling waters, unpredictable weather conditions, battling powerful tidal currents, marine traffic, and physical demands of what ranks as one of the toughest open-water challenges, said her proud father, Indian Navy official Madan Rai. “In its nearly century-old history, Jiya has become the first girl with ASD to accomplish the challenge solo. She is absolutely thrilled by her achievement and is now taking rest for the journey back to Mumbai on Thursday,” a delighted Rai told ‘The Perfect Voice’ from New York. Jiya started her swim from Battery Park City early on Aug. 30, covering the mandatory points en route to complete it later the same day (Sunday). Waiting to receive and felicitate her was the Indian Deputy Consul-General in New York Vishal J. Harsh and other officials and swimming champs. Throwing light on Jiya’s travails in the water, Rai said the waters around Manhattan are merciless – swimmers cannot leave the water or touch the escort boat or any person, the water temperature was around 20C. She was allowed food and drinks only through a feeding pole while remaining in the water, but she cracked it all to bag the Triple Crown – and swam into history. Her Manhattan challenge was supported by the H T Parekh Foundation, NWWA (Western Region), Bagwadia Foundation, Indian Oil and Mazagon Dock Limited, adding yet another feather to her crowded swimming cap. Almost five years ago, Jiya first crossed the Palk Strait and then became the girl with ASD to swim the English Channel solo in 2024, followed by the Catalina Channel in 2025 and now the coveted Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming in NY. Honours and awards have followed her astonishing journey in the waters, and is oft referred to as the ‘Mumbai Mermaid’. In 2024 she received the WOWSA Award 2024, which is among the highest international recognitions in open-water swimming. In all this, she enjoyed the full backing of her family, especially her father, IN’s MC-at-Arms Rai who trained Jiya with dedication for years though she was unable to speak due to her ASD. Accolades and honours galore Jiya Rai bagged the National Award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in 2023 and the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar in 2022, India's highest civilian honour for children below 18. Symbolically, Jiya - pursuing her FYJC Arts course with IGNOU - has dedicated her latest swimming glory to the cause of Autism awareness and inspire many others to emulate her example.

India working on logistics of Tahawwur Rana's extradition

  • PTI
  • Feb 14, 2025
  • 3 min read

Updated: Feb 18, 2025

Tahawwur Rana

Washington: India is working on the logistics of Tahawwur Rana's surrender and extradition from the US, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has said, as President Donald Trump announced that his administration has given the go-ahead to extradite the 26/11 terror attack accused “to face justice".

“This is an issue on which the US authorities have taken very clear decisions. I think you've seen the President announce it himself from the White House podium" the decision of the US to extradite Rana, Misri said at a press conference here on Thursday.


During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.


In response to a question by PTI on the timeframe by when Rana will be extradited to India, Misri said: "We are working on the logistics of his surrender and extradition to India. There are a few final steps to be completed. The two sides are in touch on this particular issue.”


The India-US joint statement issued during the Prime Minister's visit to the US notes that Modi and Trump reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world.

“They committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in order to prevent heinous acts like the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11 and the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021," the joint statement said.


“Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved," it said.


The leaders further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.

"The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors,” the joint statement added.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks.

Speaking at the joint press meet, Trump said "Today I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. So, he is going back to India to face justice."


The extradition of Rana was cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case.


India last month said it was working with American authorities for the early extradition of Rana.


"The US Supreme Court on January 21 declined to hear a petition from the accused. We are now working with the US side on procedural issues for early extradition to India of the accused in the Mumbai terror attack," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.


In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.

-PTI

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