National skydiving record one more try away from IAF man Ishita Mishra, TNN | Sep 23, 2014, Agra: An Indian Air Force Wing Commander, who attempted for a national record in skydiving over the traditional para drop zone (DZ) of the IAF in Malpura, failed in his first attempt on Tuesday. Additionally, the national flag which reportedly was to be unfurled during the attempt, got stuck in the parachute, which further hurt Kamal Singh Oberah, the Wing Commander. Oberah who attempted for the record on Tuesday evening, is said to be keen on another attempt soon. The date of the same is expected to be declared by the IAF authorities later. The official can attempt for the skydiving record thrice. Thousands of fans who had gathered at the spot returned with a heavy heart. Many were also seen crying for the official who got hurt while landing. It is sad that India could not manage it this time, but I am sure our Jawan will make it next time, said Shiv Singh, a local. The authorities of IAF have taken on a challenge to create a new national record of flying the largest flag by a skydiver after skydiving from an aircraft. Oberah has been working on this project for over a year now. The record of the highest skydive jump is held by Captain Fareed Lafta of Iraq, who created this world record on 15th August 2012 at a skydiving facility in Chicago, USA. Fareed Lafta skydived with a flag measuring 4,023 m2 (43,282 ft2) breaking previous record created by a Turkish skydiver in 2005. The current national record for a similar feat is held by a retired Air Force Officer, Squadron Leader Sanjay Thapar, VM, (later retired as a Wing Commander). He created this national record on August 7, 1997 when he skydived with a flag measuring 2,226 ft2, over the Air Force Station at Hindon, near the national capital. The IAF official informed that he intended to create a new national record with a flag measuring twice the size of the previous national record, with a flag measuring approximately 4,300 ft2. The flag which was to be unfurled during Oberahs attempt was more than 80 feet in length and 54 feet in height. The weight of the fabric alone was over 25 kg. A dead weight of another 40 Kg was also tied to the bottom end of the flag to hold it in place. The official regretted that even after practicing for almost a year, he still could not make the cut. However, the official performed extraordinary well in the practice jumps on Monday at the same venue and time. Oberah was commissioned in the Indian Air Force on 21st June 1993. On 1st January 2000, he skydived over Antarctica from 16,000 feet in temperatures below minus 55 degrees, thereby becoming the first Indian to skydive over the frozen continent. In April 2002 the Officer accomplished the rarest of the rare feat, by becoming the first Indian to have skydived over both the extremes of our planet, the Arctic, as well as the Antarctic. On 20th April 2002 he skydived over the frozen Arctic Ocean at the Geographical North Pole and unfurled the Indian national flag, thus becoming the first Indian to have accomplished that feat. The official has quite a number of firsts to his credit. He is the first Indian B.A.S.E. Jumper, the first Indian to have jumped off from various places, including the roof top of the world famous Kuala Lumpur Tower in Malaysia, the highest railway bridge in India, communication antennas and world famous high rise cliffs in Lauterbrunnen valley in Switzerland and also from Pedra Da Gavia Mountain in Brazil.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 06:08:15 +0000