Bhubaneswar: Jiya Rai, a 14-year-old para-swimmer popularly known as ‘Jal Pari’ of India, will swim nonstop for seven hours in Chilika Lake in Odisha on Sunday for 21 km to create awareness about protecting winter migratory birds which make lake their home during the winter season.
The Veterans Club Odisha (VCO) in association with the Indian Navy (Commanding Officer, INS Chilka and Naval Officer-in-Charge, Odisha) is organising the event, which will mark the arrival of the winter birds, the flag bearers of peace and coexistence.
Daughter of a senior sailor of the Indian Navy, Madan Rai, MC-AT-ARMS II of INS Kunjali, and a student of Navy Children School, Mumbai, Jiya swam across 29 km in Palk Strait Channel on March 20. A child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, she achieved the feat at the age of 13 years and 10 months, becoming the youngest and fastest female swimmer in the world to swim across the Palk Strait.
In addition, she created Guinness Record by swimming in the open sea from Worli to Gate of India in the Arabian Sea. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed her in his “Man ki Baat” programme, recently. She has been awarded “Pradhanmantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar” for the year 2022 for her achievements.
“The swimming of Jia Rai in Chilika is undoubtedly a proud moment for all Odias,” said VCO president BidyadharNayak told a presser.
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