Breaking Boundaries! 15-Year-Old Specially-Abled Boy Crosses Periyar River In One Hour

Physical challenges know no boundaries! Braving all odds, Mohammad Aasim, a physically challenged 15-year-old boy from Kerala's Kozhikode, was born without hands. He swam across a kilometre of the Periyar river. He swam across the river with just two weeks of training by Saji Valassery.

Mohammad Aasim was born without arms and has a partially disabled right leg and partial hearing in one ear. Even after so many challenges, he did not give up and joined the swimming lessons and crossed the deepest parts of the Periyar- from Advaithashramam Kadavu to Aluva Manappuram.

What Does Aasim Have To Say?

Aasim's biggest wish was to swim in the Periyar river. He said, "I grew up near a river and always wanted to swim. I was able to cross the one kilometre-wide Periyar in an hour and one minute." When asked whether he was scared of the challenge, he said that everyone is scared when they swim for the first time.

He is happy to cross after achieving this feat. He has also started a foundation named Aasim Velimanna Foundation to support specially-abled and other kids to fight for their rights. He believes that differently-abled people should not confine themselves in a shell.

He said, "They should also grow up with everyone else in the society, and be happy and active", reported The New Indian Express.

How Did The Journey Began?

Saji Valassery is the trainer of the kid. He recalled that he learned about Aasim from a newspaper article and got to know that he is 90 per cent disabled. He went to meet him in 2016 only, but initially, his parents were reluctant of letting their son swim. This year, they were ready.

Aasim, along with his father, came to Kochi for training and are currently staying at Valassery's home. Aasim got training for four hours of training, two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening, and within two weeks, he got ready and swam across the Periyar river.

Specially-Abled People Have Shown Bravery In The Past Too

In 2020, 11-year-old Manoj R. overcame the challenge of being blind and swam 600 metres of Periyar River in 30 minutes. He was also trained by Saji Valassery, reported Times of India.

In 2018, Satendra Singh, a physically challenged swimmer from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, crossed the English Channel in 12 hours and 26 minutes. He was the first person in India with a 75 per cent disability to swim 36 km in the Arabian Sea, reported Times of India.

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