Jaipur, Dec 1 (IANS) By the age of three, Pratyasa Ray’s parents had visited many hospitals seeking a remedy for her ongoing health problems and impaired growth. Her mother, Charushree, discovered that water therapy might benefit children with serious health issues and chose to pursue that treatment.

What began as therapy has now become Pratyasa’s life. The 23-year-old is among the top swimmers in the country and demonstrated her talent at the Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025, winning three gold medals, one silver, and one bronze at the Sawai Man Singh Swimming Complex.

The Utkal University student has won a total of 18 medals over the last four editions of the Khelo India University Games, including nine gold and seven silver medals. Additionally, they have achieved impressive results at various national and international tournaments.

Recounting the tough period when Pratyasa’s health was a major concern, Charushree told SAI Media, “Pratyasa was born healthy. But she was given antibiotics to protect her from an infection when she was just 21 days old and those medicines reacted adversely. After that, her natural physical development stopped. Our concern grew. We wanted a healthy child, but everything was going against us. During that time, I read in Reader’s Digest that swimming can help children with several health issues. Tired of continuous hospital visits, I decided to take that risk.”

“I started taking my three-year-old daughter to a swimming pool in Sambalpur. No admission was possible at that age, so I went into the water with her myself. The initial days were filled with tears and fear, but gradually, water turned her fear into play. Within two months, hospital visits reduced, and after three months, her health stabilised,” she told.

Six months after her first introduction to water, Pratyasa for the first time indicated that she could enter the pool without a tube. Her mother recalled, “It was as if water gave her relief. She started enjoying being in water and realised that it was keeping her away from hospitals. Over the next two to three years, she easily increased her swimming distance from 25 meters to 50 meters.”

Pratyasha doesn’t remember these early days; everything she knows comes from her mother. She said, “A local coach in Sambalpur recognised my potential and suggested I take up competitive swimming.”

At eight years old, Pratyasha began her professional training at the Jharsa Khaitan Swimming Complex under Rangnidhi Seth.

“During this period, my father, Rajat Kumar Ray, who works in the Odisha government, was transferred to Bhubaneswar. I then began professional training in Kalinga. Balancing studies and sports, I am now pursuing a double postgraduate degree from Utkal University,” she said.

Over these years, Pratyasha has earned several medals both nationally and internationally. In addition to her achievements at the Khelo India University Games, the Odisha swimmer competed in three Khelo India Youth Games editions, securing four silver and three bronze medals.

Her top performance in KIUG occurred in Guwahati last year, where she secured four gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. As a result, she received the Eklavya Award from the Odisha Government.

But soon after those Games, she suffered a hairline fracture in her shoulder. “Surgery wasn’t needed, but I needed two months of rehab. Because of rehab, I had to stay away from my main backstroke events, but I didn’t give up. To maintain my racing ability, I started competing in freestyle and also in longer events of 200 and 400 meters.”

She recovered in time for the Senior Nationals in September last year, winning gold in the relay and silver in the 100m backstroke. Now, she aims to join the Indian team for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.

“My goal is to participate in the Asian Games, but before that, I want to compete in the World University Games and improve my timing. I love swimming, so I just want to swim, but I also want to achieve milestones for myself along the way.”

–IANS

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