PARAGLIDING IN HIMACHAL - An Adventurous Aero Sport Activity

Most of us have had dreams of flying at one time or the other. Psychologists may pose heavy symbolism on such dreams, but how many psychologist leave their stuffy rooms and offices to give a longing lingering look at the wind swept hills or watch a hawk soar silently on gentle currents of study winds? We contend that an urge to fly and sour high in to blue silky sky is an end itself and mankind has always had a profound desire to chase the flying birds above.Para gliding is the latest adventure aero sport activities to take the world by storm. The origin of the sport dates back to 1940s when an aviation pioneer, Dr. Francis Rogalo constructed his flexible Delta Kite and filed a patent for it.

But it was not until the early 1980s that parachutes were foot launched regularly from hills. Since then, this sport has been rapidly expanding. Thousands of people all over the world have found this sport convenient, sheer fun and a safe medium of soaring in the air.

A para-glider is different from a hang-glider or a parachute in the sense that it is much lighter than a hang-glider, much easier to open up, takes little time, and the additional advantage that you do not need to jump from a helicopter or airplane to enjoy the glide in the sky. What you need is some basic training and the will to achieve success.Para-Gliding in Bilaspur: Before the year 1994, there was hardly any para-gliding or hang gliding pilot in Himachal Pradesh, excepting one, Roshan Lal Thakur from Manali, who had acquired some skill in flying from foreign pilots, often visiting Manali as tourist.

Mean while R.P. Gautam who had come on retirement from Central Reserve Police Force as Commandant, visualized the vast potential in paragliding from Bandla Mountain. To make his dream come true, he got in contact with Shakti Singh Chandel, the then Director Tourism and Civil Aviation, to extend all possible help to promote paragliding in Himachal Pradesh. The Director Tourism, who himself belonged to Bilaspur, took keen interest in approving Bandla top as take off site, gave financial assistance to run para gliding courses for Bilaspur under Himachal Aero Adventure Institute Bilaspur, which under expert guidance of Mr. Bruce Mills from New Zealand and Alex Garisimov from Russia, got the pilots trained. Thus Bilaspur was brought on World Map in Paragliding.