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.
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