Seventeen-year-old Jiya Madan Rai has made history as the first girl with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to swim across the Catalina Channel on September 26 in Los Angeles, but her journey to this stage was anything but easy. Remarkably, Jiya achieved this feat without any professional coaching — her first coach has been her father, Madan Rai, who introduced her to swimming at the Navy Nagar pool.
Madan, MC-At-Arms II (Junior Commissioned Officer) of the Indian Navy, said, “Jiya was diagnosed with ASD at the age of two, a condition that has no treatment in the world. From a very young age, she was extremely active and loved water — spending hours in the shower. When we took her to the swimming pool in our colony at Colaba, she was overjoyed. I started teaching her the basics of swimming as I was a swimmer myself.”
As she grew, Jiya’s love for swimming deepened, helping her develop confidence and independence. In her first-grade annual sports meet, she won two gold medals, earning applause and recognition that motivated her further. The family later sought professional coaching, but most trainers had never worked with special-needs children. It was only after years of trial and observation that her parents realised Jiya learned best visually — by watching. Using this method, she mastered professional swimming by watching instructional videos.
By January 2019, at 10 years and seven months old, Jiya became a National Champion in Porbandar in the Para category for open water swimming. Since then, she has amassed 39 gold medals and remains undefeated.
A father’s message
“Ability or disability isn’t in our hands. What we can do is identify and nurture our child’s skills,” said Madan. “We recognised Jiya’s love for water and encouraged it. Every special child has a skill — if nurtured, one day people will know you by your child’s name. Believe in your child, be patient, and focus on their strengths,” he added.
Catalina Channel swim
On September 25-26, 2025, Jiya swam solo across the Catalina Channel in the USA, covering 34 kilometres in 15 hours, 1 minute, and 43 seconds. She became the first girl with ASD in the 100-year history of Catalina Channel swimming to complete this feat. Jiya dedicated the swim to raising awareness for Autism.
The Catalina Channel is notorious for treacherous currents, cold waters (18 degrees Celsius in September), jellyfish, and unpredictable weather. Swimmers must endure long, dark hours without touching the pilot boat, with food and water handed via a long stick. Only about 500 people have ever completed the Channel swim.
Jiya’s journey was supported by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Indian Navy (Western Naval Command), Bagwadia Foundation, Indian Oil, State Bank of India, and Mazagon Dock Limited.
A decorated champion
Jiya has previously set world records, swimming the English Channel in 2024 and the Palk Strait in 2022. She is the first girl with ASD to cross the English Channel solo. Her accolades include the WOWSA Award 2024, the National Award for Disabilities 2023, and the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar.
