RANCHI: In a major achievement, seven-year-old Ishank Singh from Jharkhand has successfully swam across the treacherous, 29-kilometre-long Palk Strait located between India and Sri Lanka, in approximately 9 hours and 50 minutes, covering a distance of 29–30 km on April 30, 2026.
He has been awarded the prestigious title of “The Youngest and Fastest Palk Strait Swimmer” by the Universal Records Forum (URF World Records).
Previously, this record was held by Jay Jaswanth of Tamil Nadu.
On March 28, 2019, at the age of 10, he swam across the 30-kilometre distance of the Palk Strait, from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka to Rameswaram (Dhanushkodi), in 10 hours and 30 minutes.
Elated with Ishank's achievement, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren congratulated Ishank on X.
“Exceptional Talent...At just 7 years, little Ishaan from Jharkhand has made history by swimming across the 29 km Palk Strait between Sri Lanka and India. Ishaan's success is a remarkable example of discipline and unwavering dedication to his goal. He has not only brought pride to Jharkhand but to the entire nation,” stated Soren in his post.
"Heartfelt congratulations to Ishaan and his family, trainers, for this historic achievement, and warm wishes for a bright future, Jai Johar," he added.
Ishank Singh is a Class 3 student at Jawahar Vidya Mandir in Shyamali in Ranchi.
“Proud Moment for Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamali, Ranchi. We are delighted to share a truly historic achievement by our Class III student, Master Ishank Singh, a moment of immense pride for our entire school family,” the school stated on various social media platforms.
Principal BN Jha stated that Master Ishank Singh's achievement is a matter of pride for the school, the city of Ranchi, and the entire country.
According to Ishank’s family members, he trained rigorously for 4–5 hours daily at the Dhurwa Dam in Ranchi to achieve this goal.
He reached the goal through specialised training under the guidance of his coaches, Aman Kumar Jaiswal and Bajrang Kumar.
“This daring feat has brought pride to the entire nation and the state of Jharkhand, thereby upholding the honour of the Tricolour,” said a member of Ishank’s family.