Indian Skydiver and Padmashri awardee, Shital Mahajan, achieved a remarkable series by becoming the first woman in the world to jump off a helicopter of high altitude in front of the majestic Mt Everest.
On November 11, Shital Mahajan took her first leap from 5000ft AGL (Above Ground Level) at an impressive altitude of 17500ft, flawlessly landing at 12500ft at Syangboche airport accompanied by legendary skydiver Wendy Smith from New Zealand, who served as her instructor within the aircraft, Mahajan made history in a single jump.
She became the first woman in the world to skydive over the three poles of the Earth - the North Pole, the South Pole, and the third pole of the world, the formidable Mount Everest. Additionally, Mahajan secured a national record as the First Indian civilian woman to skydive in front of Mount Everest and the First Indian woman to skydive over the three poles of the world.
On November 12, she performed a flag jump at Syangboche airport from an altitude of 8000ft, accompanied by acclaimed camerawoman Wendy Elizabeth Smith and Russian camerawoman Nadia Solovyeva. This bold accomplishment secured another national record, marking the Highest Flag Skydiving landing by a woman. Mahajan continued her extraordinary journey with a daring leap from the Amadablam mountain base camp, reaching an astounding altitude of 23,000 ft and landing at 4600m (15091ft). Renowned French skydiver Paul-Henry de Baère, known as the "oxygen man" in high-altitude jumps, guided her for this remarkable high-altitude descent.
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The pinnacle of Shital's extraordinary journey unfolded, on November 13, 2023, as she executed a breathtaking jump from 21500ft in the presence of Mount Everest, achieving a remarkable landing at the highest altitude on Kalapatthar, measuring 17444ft (5317m). Once again, Paul Henry de Baere served as her HALO instructor for this leap. This jump not only established the Highest Altitude Skydiving landing by a woman but also set two additional national records: The first Indian woman to skydive in front of Mount Everest at Kalapatthar and the highest altitude skydiving landing by a woman, as confirmed by Anuj Pandey, the manager of Everest Skydive.
Engaging in high-altitude skydiving presents distinctive challenges, including the necessity for supplemental oxygen and adapting to thinner air. Shital was accompanied by esteemed skydiving experts, including Paul Henry de Baere, Omar Alhegelan, Wendy Smith, and Nadia Solovyeva, amassing a collective experience of over 12 years in high-altitude skydiving, as highlighted by Pandey.
Suman Pandey, the founder of Explore Himalaya and Everest Skydive, is the mastermind behind this incredible feat, said Mahajan. Nita Ambani, the founder of Reliance Foundation, and Anant Ambani provided unwavering support to this groundbreaking expedition, she added. Shital also acknowledged the contributions of Shri Girish Mahajan, Shri Ashok Jain, Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, and Prashant Bagh, among others. Each jump was conducted from Fishtail Air Helicopter under the expert guidance of senior Captain Kiran Pun and Captain Francois Favart, Pandey added.
(With Input from Agencies)
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