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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.

Knives out in legislature

Updated: Mar 21, 2025

Disha Salian

Mumbai: Death of celebrity manager Disha Salian in 2020 once again rocked the Maharashtra legislature on Thursday. While cabinet ministers Nitesh Rane and Shambhuraj Desai demanded that Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray be arrested in the case, BJP MLA Amit Satam in the assembly and another BJP member Chitra Wagh in the council demanded that the report of SIT to probe Salian’s death be made public.


Incidentally, amidst repeated disruptions in both the houses, some members from the treasury benches were seen speaking in favour of Aditya Thackeray, while Shiv Sena (UBT) members like Adv Anil Parab were seen supporting the BJP members’ demand that the report of the SIT probe be made public. In addition, there were allegations and counter allegations and personal accusations among members from the treasury and opposition benches which led to heated debate on occasions.


The opposition termed the attempts from the treasury benches to link Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray’s name in the case, as a ‘conspiracy’.


“I think this matter has gone to the court. We have no idea what he (Disha’s father) has said, but Aaditya Thackeray is a mature leader, a young leader. The Bharatiya Janata Party is conspiring to defame him by putting pressure on him. We don’t need to answer to this conspiracy. The court will answer,” Ambadas Danve said.


Earlier in the day, when the house gathered for the business, Minister of State for Home appraised the assembly of the status in this case. “SIT has been formed to probe in the case. Their report has not been received as yet. However, the government shall act according to directives from the court,” the minister told the house.


Another BJP minister Nitesh Rane, however, said that since Satish Salian has levelled allegations against an MVA minister, that leader be treated like a common person and that everybody should be treated equally before the law. Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai too supported the demand. “Since the allegations are grave, the person in question should be immediately arrested and the case be investigated,” he said.


Later, while speaking to media in the legislature premises, Rane asked Uddhav Thackeray to come clean on the issue. “If they say that we are politicizing the issue, Uddhav Thackeray should also tell the people why he had called, not just once but twice, to the then union minister Narayan Rane urging him to save his son?” Rane said.


He also accused the opposition of shying away from coming clean on the issue. “If they feel that we are not telling the truth, they should say so in the house. But they are shying away from doing so. Bhaskar Jadhav, who is always aggressive, was nowhere to be seen when this issue came up in the house. Sunil Prabhu too escaped the house under the pretext of a phone call. I challenge them to say that whatever I said on the issue is wrong,” Rane said.


He also said that Aditya Thackeray should resign on moral grounds till his name is cleared in the case.


BJP MLA Amit Satam demanded that the details of the SIT probe be made public so that the people would know if the probe is headed in right direction.


Interestingly, while the ruling parties were targeting the opposition in the case, senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar surprised all with his unexpected support to Thackerays. “I do not have any evidences in the case. But if her father has made any fresh allegations that needs to be investigated thoroughly. The assembly can discuss the issue at length tomorrow. In the meanwhile, members like Rane, who seem to have some evidences in the case should hand them over to the investigating agencies and help the probe,” he told the house.


Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Gaikwad and Sheetal Mhatre too toed the line and demanded that more and more evidences should come forth.


Similarly, when members of treasury benches were pushing for revealing the details of the probe till date to the public, Shiv Sena (UBT) member Anil Parab supported the demand. “Doing that shall conclusively prove the innocence of Aditya Thackeray,” he said.

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