For some women, sky is the limit!

New Delhi, Aug 26 (PTI) 'Fear' is not part of the
dictionary of these women for whom jumping from an aircraft
thousands of feet high and falling at a speed of over 180 km
per hour is just child's play.

This league of extraordinary women skydivers was
formed under the patronage of Rachel Thomas, India's first
woman skydiver and recipient of the Padma Shree award in 2005
for her contribution in the sport of skydiving, under the name
of Indian Sky Jumpers last year in Visakhapatnam.

In order to promote aero sport primarily skydiving,
the association aims for making first all women 'Skydiving
Demonstration Team' consisting of members other than the
serving Armed Forces personnel.

"In India skydiving as a sport is mostly followed by
defence personnel and especially men. So we aim to propagate
skydiving, a sport that enhances physical fitness and
self-confidence, particularly among women, by establishing
India's first civilian skydiving school and drop zone," says
Archana Sardana, founder of Indian Sky Jumpers, a skydiving
school based in Visakhapatnam.

The association consists of four women -Archana
Sardana, Rupinder Parhar, Bharti Tanwani and Mili Sharma.

"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," says Sardana.



Archana is the wife of a naval officer and an avid
mountaineer, Rupinder works with a multi-national company,
Mili is a qualified Russian translator and Bharathi is a
businesswoman.

"The leauge also aims at conducting regular skydiving
camps in Indian drop zones at affordable costs and to
encourage women to attempt every national and international
solo records made by Indian men," says Rupinder Parhar, a
member of the league.

In India, skydiving courses and camps are conducted in
very few places like Pantnagar, Karnal and some parts of
Gujarat. At these spots, a static line jump, a free fall jump
from a height of 4,00 feet, where the parachute opens as soon
as you leave the aircraft are practised.

For the development of this adventure sport in the
country, Sardana lists many factors required to achieve the
long-term goal.

"We need further training in USA to do demonstration
jumps, additional 4 weks coaching in Florida, five parachutes
with customised canopies and Helicopters and small planes,"
she says, adding that the sponsorship is very difficult to get
in the cricket crazy country.

The sport provides four types of licenses, viz.
License A awarded after 10 free falls, License B after a diver
masters the manoeuvring techniques, a formation in the air
qualifies a diver for License C and D.

The association, also participates in public and
private functions to promote the cause of eye donation and to
create awareness about the sport.

"As part of the organization's mission and corporate
social responsibility our parachutes have customized canopies
with the words AORTA (Armed Forces Organ Retrieval and
Transplant Authority) written on them.

Our members espouse the cause of organ donation among
the Indian Armed Forces," says Sardana, who has undergone
training in the US and received License A and License B. PTI