For generations, the stereotype that sure actions are extra appropriate for boys whereas others are deemed applicable for ladies has prevailed. Consequently, journey sports activities resembling mountaineering, off-road biking, kayaking, skydiving, and paragliding had been predominantly related to males for a very long time. Nonetheless, the notion has modified over the previous few years. Breaking the obstacles of stereotypes, girls are actually doing each activity historically thought of “applicable” just for males.
Part of this alteration is Shital Mahajan, who made historical past by being the primary girl to leap from a staggering top of twenty-two,700 ft in entrance of the Mount Everest, the best peak on the earth, on November 13, 2023. This unimaginable girl from India has made historical past by conducting a exceptional sequence of high-altitude skydives within the Mount Everest area.
A Padma Shri awardee and Tenzing Norgay Nationwide Journey Award recipient, Shital Mahajan (41) is a pioneer in skydiving. She holds eight world information. She is the primary girl to carry out an accelerated free fall over Antarctica from 10,000 ft and is the youngest girl to leap over each North Pole and South Pole. Shital is the primary girl on the earth to have achieved skydiving in all seven continents.
AR Rahman Music Behind Shital Mahajan’s Drive To Fly
Shital Mahajan’s forte is just not restricted to skydiving. She was a state-level desk tennis participant, state-level swimmer, and painter as effectively. Her ardour for doing “one thing totally different” introduced her into skydiving. Reminiscing her childhood, she tells ABP Stay about her love for flying and the AR Rahman tune from the film ‘Roja’ that impressed her: “I used to take heed to the tune ‘Dil hai chhota sa…’ typically. The lyrics — ‘… chaand taaron ko chhoone ki asha (The will to achieve out to the celebrities and the moon), aasmano mein udne ki asha (The will to fly within the skies)’ — have been imprinted in my reminiscence. I used to surprise how may one fly.”
Shital says, “Future introduced skydiving to me by means of a buddy, whose brother was into this sport. I noticed him skydiving and even educating Indian Air Pressure cadets. He was the primary Indian who skydived over the North Pole and South Pole. This feat was what spurred me to take up skydiving.” Her first soar was twenty years in the past on April 18, 2004, over the North Pole the place the temperature was a freezing -38 levels Celsius. With this soar, she grew to become the primary girl on the earth to skydive over the North Pole with out formal coaching.
Describing about her jumps over the Himalayas, Mahajan says earlier than attaining her 2023 Mt Everest feat, she had 4 jumps within the area beneath her belt. Retaining Mt Everest’s top (29,000 ft) in thoughts she deliberate a soar from 23,000 ft as helicopters can solely go as much as 23,000 ft. She mentioned, “Since helicopters are a bit larger and decrease, I jumped from 22,700 ft and I opened the parachute at 5,000 ft above the bottom.” Regardless of the dangers concerned, together with excessive altitude and low oxygen ranges, Mahajan’s unwavering spirit {and professional} experience enabled her to perform this historic soar, solidifying her place as a pioneer on the earth of maximum sports activities.
Shital holds 6 nationwide information in 4 jumps, and a couple of world information together with 2 Asia information. Shital did wingsuit flying, changing into the one Indian girl who flew a wingsuit. Shital did her marriage in a sizzling air balloon. She has additionally achieved skydiving in a saree. Shital represented India within the skydiving formation, through which 100 individuals jumped collectively from the sky to make a formation.
‘Style of dealing with concern’
Mahajan’s journey to this groundbreaking soar was full of challenges and obstacles. Journey sports activities don’t want bodily and psychological energy solely, it additionally wants an enormous amount of cash. Firstly of her journey, Mahajan obtained loads of criticism even from her circle of relatives. Nonetheless, she used this criticism to gather her psychological energy. “My critics solely assist me out for my psychological energy and focus throughout skydiving, Kinfolk mentioned this isn’t my cup of tea. Discovering sponsorship was additionally troublesome as I wanted nearly 15 to 16 lakhs and my father’s wage was solely 18,000 and this was manner a lot for my household in 2003 however after that one soar I obtained that style of dealing with my concern”.
After the North Pole, She did her second soar as a primary Accelerated free fall (AFF) soar over Antarctica with 2 Indian navy instructors. Skydiving in a excessive altitude area is one other sort of problem Shital mentioned, “Once you go to Everest area, the extra you spend time in Everest area, you’ll get extra hypoxic and the largest issue is whether or not the climate is supportive or not. Shital additionally talked about how necessary it’s to have the correct individuals or crew with you.
Overcoming stereotypes & monetary obstacles collectively
Speaking about how it’s totally different for a lady to pursue journey sports activities in India in comparison with a broad and contemplating social strain and lack of coaching alternatives, she mentioned, “There are only a few girls in India who need to pursue Aero sports activities particularly and journey sports activities and people who need to do it don’t see that they don’t seem to be getting coaching or there may be social strain of the household, no matter they need to do they do it in any situation.”
Mahajan mentioned girls face much more psychological and monetary points, in comparison with males, in the event that they need to pursue journey sports activities, “The stereotypes we encounter, like “you are a woman,” convey totally different dramas earlier than marriage and totally different films after marriage, particularly when you have youngsters, then do not even ask. However I made positive that my complete household is a part of my adventures. My household was not that supportive initially, however after Padma Shri, issues have modified,” she added.
Excessive sports activities have life dangers together with monetary obstacles and to beat that concern one has to suppose selflessly, she mentioned. “It isn’t about setting new world information, it is all about the place you need to see your nation within the journey sports activities. Anybody who desires to pursue skydiving or a profession in any journey sport, simply be devoted to the game. Love your sport; it is no person’s enterprise. I do know that I come from a really conservative household. If I can break the obstacles, anybody can break them.”
A dive in house
Mahajan is just not achieved but, she nonetheless has quite a few aspirations and desires for her to attain. She needs to be the primary Indian to do house skydiving, and is presently making ready to symbolize India within the Air World Video games to be held from August 7-17, 2025, in Chengdu, China. She mentioned desires extra girls participation in Aero sports activities, particularly skydiving, and for that, she is engaged on a mission through which round 500 girls will go skydiving.
Her legacy extends past her record-breaking achievements, as she continues to advocate for air sports activities and mentor the subsequent era of skydivers. Her groundbreaking accomplishment challenges stereotypes and conjures up girls throughout the nation to pursue their passions fearlessly. By shattering obstacles and pushing boundaries, she exemplifies the limitless potential of ladies in journey sports activities and past.
