Dedication made this possible: Mother of Ranchi boy, 7, who crossed Palk Strait
Crediting hours of daily practice, the mother of 7-year-old Ishank Singh says discipline powered his record sea swim. The young swimmer crossed the 29-km Palk Strait in 9 hours 50 minutes.
The proud mother of 7-year-old Ishank Singh, who scripted history by swimming across the challenging Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka, said on Saturday that the feat was powered by months of rigorous training lasting seven to eight hours daily.
Ishank swam across the Palk Strait, a 29-km stretch, on April 30. He started from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka and reached Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu in 9 hours and 50 minutes.
His mother, Manisha, said Ishank took to swimming at the age of three and developed a strong interest in long-distance events early on.
"He used to train in pools across Ranchi, but for the last six months, he shifted to open-water practice at Dhurwa Dam to prepare specifically for the Palk Strait," she told the news agency PTI.
"At this tender age, he would spend seven to eight hours in the water every day. That dedication made this achievement possible," added Sinha, who manages a private hospital in the city.
Ishank, who returned to Ranchi on Friday evening, said he was thrilled after completing the swim and is already aiming higher.
"I want to keep improving and achieve more. My dream is to complete a two-way swim across the Palk Strait," he said.
A class 3 student of Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamli – the alma mater of cricketer MS Dhoni, Ishank has been conferred the titles 'Youngest and Fastest Palk Strait Swimmer' by the Universal Records Forum and '2026 OWSAT World Record' by the Open Water Swimming Academy, Theni.
According to his coaches Aman Kumar Jaiswal and Bajrang Kumar, Ishank showed exceptional endurance from an early age.
"We first noticed his unusual stamina during a summer camp. With support from his parents, we began training him for this goal. The result is there for everyone to see," Jaiswal said.
The previous record was held by Tamil Nadu's Jay Jaswanth, he added.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren congratulated the young swimmer, calling his feat "a remarkable example of discipline and unwavering dedication."
School principal, BN Jha, also praised the achievement and said, "Ishank's courage and determination at such a young age are truly inspiring. He has made the school, the state, and the nation proud."
The proud mother of 7-year-old Ishank Singh, who scripted history by swimming across the challenging Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka, said on Saturday that the feat was powered by months of rigorous training lasting seven to eight hours daily.
Ishank swam across the Palk Strait, a 29-km stretch, on April 30. He started from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka and reached Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu in 9 hours and 50 minutes.
His mother, Manisha, said Ishank took to swimming at the age of three and developed a strong interest in long-distance events early on.
"He used to train in pools across Ranchi, but for the last six months, he shifted to open-water practice at Dhurwa Dam to prepare specifically for the Palk Strait," she told the news agency PTI.
"At this tender age, he would spend seven to eight hours in the water every day. That dedication made this achievement possible," added Sinha, who manages a private hospital in the city.
Ishank, who returned to Ranchi on Friday evening, said he was thrilled after completing the swim and is already aiming higher.
"I want to keep improving and achieve more. My dream is to complete a two-way swim across the Palk Strait," he said.
A class 3 student of Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamli – the alma mater of cricketer MS Dhoni, Ishank has been conferred the titles 'Youngest and Fastest Palk Strait Swimmer' by the Universal Records Forum and '2026 OWSAT World Record' by the Open Water Swimming Academy, Theni.
According to his coaches Aman Kumar Jaiswal and Bajrang Kumar, Ishank showed exceptional endurance from an early age.
"We first noticed his unusual stamina during a summer camp. With support from his parents, we began training him for this goal. The result is there for everyone to see," Jaiswal said.
The previous record was held by Tamil Nadu's Jay Jaswanth, he added.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren congratulated the young swimmer, calling his feat "a remarkable example of discipline and unwavering dedication."
School principal, BN Jha, also praised the achievement and said, "Ishank's courage and determination at such a young age are truly inspiring. He has made the school, the state, and the nation proud."
