Jiya Rai, a navy school student, awarded Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar

A 12-year-old girl, who is studying at Navy Children School has been awarded the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2022 under the open water swimming category, the highest award for citizens below 18 years.

Dedicating her record-breaking feat to raise autism awareness, Jiya Rai, the Class 8 student, swam 36 km in 8 hours and 40 minutes on February 17, 2021, said a press release. She is herself a known case of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Her father Madan Rai is posted at INS Kunjali.

Jiya is India Open Water Para Swimmer and a world record holder in open water swimming.

She commenced her record-setting feat in the early morning hours of February 17, 2021, at 03:50 hrs from Bandra-Worli Sea Link and completed at Gateway of India at 12:30 hrs. The swimming event was conducted under observation of the Swimming Association of Maharashtra, a recognised body of the Swimming Federation of India. The event was also associated with the FIT India Movement by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affair, said the release.

Jiya Rai had earlier swam from Elephanta Island to Gateway of India, a distance of 14 km in 03 hrs 27 minutes and 30 sec on February 15, 2020, and holds the world record for the youngest girl with ASD to swim 14 km in open waters.

( With inputs from ANI )

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