Diving high can be a sky-high career for women

Ranita Ray

To fly up so high, jumping from the aircraft, a height where everything looks tiny, the view nearby is the open blue sky with an intense throbbing wind and ruthless gravity pulling down. To dare this is the thrill of none other than one of the most adventurous sport known as Sky Diving, or the sport for the brave hearts.

However this domain of adventure sports till now was more or less men’s paradise, specifically in India. It was only for a lady like Mrs. Rachel Thomas with extraordinary caliber and foresight that she went on to become India's first civilian woman skydiver. Her success was further applauded as she, for her world class excellence and contribution in sky diving, was felicitated with Padma Shri in 2005, and thus turned to be India’s first sky diver to be awarded with this honour.

For better rate of female participation, the sport needed proper promulgation among the desired section of the society. In a country where the women folk is synonymous with soft and subtle, to promote a sport in which physical fitness and mental toughness are mandatory, is perhaps harder than the sport itself. But a team of determined civilian women sky divers with the vision to propagate skydiving as a fitness and confidence booster, particularly among women, formed the association, “Women Skydivers of India”, along with a website called www.indianskyjumpers.com under the patronage of Mrs. Rachel Thomas in the City of Destiny, Visakhapatnam.

“This organization is first of its kind in our country, as no such steps has been taken for encouraging civilian participation for women as well as men,” says Archana Sardana, founder of the Association.

Skydiving is a sophisticated form of parachuting. In normal parachuting one jumps from around 350 meters (1,000-1,200 feet) whereas in skydiving the minimum height of the jump begins from 1,500 meters (around 5000 feet). So the one intending to be a sky diver needs to undergo tough training to leap up physical and psychological blocks. “The sport provides four types of licensees, viz. License A, awarded after 10 free falls, License B, after a diver masters the maneuvering techniques, a formation in the air qualifies a diver for License C and License D for those who intend to be instructors,” explains Archana, who herself has successfully achieved License A and B.

The mission of the league is to facilitate the formation and participation of India's first all-woman four-way skydiving team at international competitions through corporate involvement and sponsorships, to synergize resources and expertise by liaising with Indian Air Force, Army and Navy skydiving teams and the Aero Club of India and to bring every paratrooper and skydiver in India to a common platform by creating an online database. More than this, they are also pleading for a noble cause, i.e. propagating services like Organ Donation.

“In addition, the league also aims at conducting regular skydiving camps in Indian drop zones/ airfields at affordable costs and to encourage women to attempt every national and international solo and team records set by Indian men (civilian and military),” says Mrs. Rupinder Parhar, a member of the league.

It’s a known fact this sport has been a military dominated sports in India. For civilian skydivers the scope of skydiving dropping zone is quite limited with only four such zones namely Hissar, Panthnagar, Karnal and Deesa. Following its vision, the Association also intends to establish India's first civilian skydiving school and drop zone. In search of a means to fulfill its aim the league is intending to choose the Temple City of Bhubaneswar, owing to many suitable conditions.

First of all the city’s domestic Biju Patnaik Airport is a private one and it has less crowded flight schedule. Secondly the existence of the flying club within, namely Orissa Govt. Aviation Training Institute, is also favourable. Thirdly the presence of Cessna 152 A aircraft in Orissa Govt. Flying School, allotted by the Aero Club of India used for skydiving jump is well-disposed. Fourthly it has potential target participants, only that they need awareness in this regard. Lastly, the close proximity of the city is yet another favourable factor. Only thing they require is support in this regard and more and more participation in the sport.

For further details and career options like an MBA in Sports Management, one can visit www.indianskyjumpers.com and register with the league’s Facebook membership namely Indian Skydivers League, or simply mail to archana@skydivergirl.org.in.