82-year-old becomes oldest paraglider in Sikkim, plans to do 'cycling' next
"The 82-year-old paraglider will inspire many to make Sikkim tourism a new adventure destination," the Assistant Director, Adventure at Sikkim Tourism said.
An 82-year-old woman from Sikkim has become the state’s oldest paraglider as she flew at an altitude of about 4,500 feet above Dukmit Lepcha in for nearly four minutes. According to sources of PTI, the old lady is a grandmother of three and an octogenarian by profession. Lepcha took to skies from a location near the Aangi monastery at Ranka, a small town situated 20 km from capital Gangtok, sources revealed. Meanwhile, a Paragliding Association based out of Sikkim declared the elderly woman as the first oldest to paraglide at that height.
"The 82-year-old woman will inspire many to make Sikkim tourism a new adventure destination," the Assistant Director, Adventure at Sikkim Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, Manoj Chettri was quoted as saying by PTI. The woman broke the record previously set by a 68-year-old man, according to the Paragliding Association of Sikkim. Chettri also called the old woman’s record encouraging, as more and more elderly tourists and tour operators will be inspired to make the paragliding sport more widescale with the involvement of more people across all ages.
Crowd, watchers, and other tourists cheered
"It was such a pleasant experience. I enjoyed it and no I was not afraid. My granddaughter, who is 17 years old, went before me but she was a little scared. I did not tremble at all because I wanted to know what it feels like to fly," Lepcha said. The woman flew as the crowd, watchers, and other tourists cheered to her motivation. The operators lauded the elderly lady’s spirit, hoping that it wouldn’t be the last adventurous sport she would participate in. According to sources of PTI, the woman in 2016 went scuba diving off the Andaman coast and in the future aspires to break a cycling record.
Published By : Zaini Majeed
Published On: 8 November 2020 at 22:06 IST