Soaring High

178 paragliders from 27 different nations participated in the 1st Tehri Acro Festival, a five-day international event organised by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) between 24 and 28 November, 2023 at Tehri in Uttarakhand. The Indian paragliders numbered 124 at the event which was held near Tehri Lake. With the event serving as a spectacular showcase, UTDB plans to develop Tehri as the paragliding capital of the world. The festival, dubbed the nation’s first international aerial acrobatics display, was attended in huge numbers and came to a resounding end with a performance of Pahadi folk tunes by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) band. Along with a wide variety of aerial acrobatic events, the festival also featured three competitions with a combined prize fund of almost Rs 10 lakh. With their solo acrobatic flights, solo synchro flights, and wingsuit leaps, paragliders mesmerised the spellbound audiences.

Colonel Ashvini Pundir, Additional Chief Executive Officer (Adventure), UTDB, distributed the prizes. Col Pundir stated that the event’s success solidified Uttarakhand’s standing as a major participant in adventure tourism globally. He also talked extensively about the state government’s initiatives to turn Tehri into a centre for adventure sports, with everything from paragliding to kayaking available for adventure enthusiasts.

Because of its position, Tehri Lake is the perfect place to engage in a variety of adventure sports, such as water sports and paragliding. Some Indian specialists believe that Tehri has the potential to become the global centre for paragliding.

The landing spot was at Koti Colony, around 1,400 metres from the take-off point in Pratap Nagar, making it the second site of its kind in the world after Oludeniz in Turkey, which serves as the centre for aerial acrobatic performances and paragliding instruction at the present time.

Activities involving paragliding are currently highly popular in places like Bhimtal. Meanwhile, the Acro Festival has laid the groundwork for an international paragliding spectacle on an annual basis in Tehri. UTDB has also launched a number of courses, including P1, P2, P3, and SIV, at various sites in order to give local youngsters the necessary skills. These courses are being offered to young people in the area in partnership with Paragliding Mantra at no cost by the department. P1, P2, and P3 training has already been completed by 15 students, and Tehri is currently training another 15 pupils. According to a board statement, the department hopes to train over 100 of these pilots by the end of 2023, giving young people in the area a variety of job options in adventure tourism.

The festival was a melting pot of diversity, with paragliders from 27 nations. The event painted the sky above Tehri with amazing performances over the course of five days. It featured a mix of paragliding activities, from solo flights to synchronised acrobatic displays.UTDBwas instrumental in bringing this first-ever festival to life and establishing Tehri as the global hub for paragliding. Because of its unique geography, which includes the magnificent Tehri Lake, and its take-off locations, which are located at an astounding elevation of 1,400 metres, Tehri is the perfect place to display aerial acrobatics.

Shri Sachin Kurve, Secretary, Tourism, expressed excitement about the project and said that it will encourage adventure sports and provide a venue for showcasing Uttarakhand’s stunning natural surroundings to the globe. The festival established Tehri’s place on the global paragliding map and acknowledged the state’s excellence in paragliding.

On November 28, the 1st Tehri Acro Festival came to a grand close, with the promise of a bigger and better event next year. The historic paragliding acrobatic event was a major milestone for India.

At the closing ceremony, Col Pundir stressed that Uttarakhand has cemented its standing as the nation’s leader in adventure tourism as a result of the event’s success. He further stated that he wants to see more international events like this in order to improve the nation’s infrastructure foradventure sports and establish Uttarakhand as a major destination for adventure tourism.

He emphasised the ongoing efforts of Uttarakhand Tourism to establish Tehri as a hub for adventure sports, including kayaking, paragliding, and other pursuits. Col. Pundir expressed gratitude to all departments that helped make the event a success, mentioning in particular the District Administration of Tehri Garhwal, ITBP, SDRF, UTDB, UCADA, IHM-Tehri, and Paragliding Mantra. The state’s dedication to developing adventure sports and worldwide partnerships in the field of paragliding acrobatics is demonstrated by the Tehri Acro Festival 2023.

The inaugural Tehri Acro Festival was indeed a historic occasion that featured thrilling paragliding acrobatics and intense competitions above Tehri Lake. As the historic festival organised by Uttarakhand Tourism came to an end, it is sure to leave HIGHa lasting legacy of breathtaking aerial exhibitions and international friendship. The presence of paragliders from all over the world added an exciting dimension to the event as they participated enthusiastically in all the recreational activities. The Tehri Acro Festival 2023 demonstrated Uttarakhand’s commitment to adventure sports and provided a glimpse of the day when Tehri will draw adventure seekers from all over the world.

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