Bihar man, 72, defies age to paraglide from 24,000 feet in Himachal Pradesh

A Bihar man had travelled to Himachal Pradesh with his family when he decided to try paragliding. A video documenting his paragliding experience showed him spending around 30 minutes in the air before landing safely.

In Short

• 72-year-old from Bihar paraglides from 24,000 feet in Himachal
• Spent around 30 minutes in air, landed safely
• Felt initial fear, then enjoyed the view like paradise

At the age of 72, a man from Bihar's Jamui district took a leap from an altitude of 24,000 feet and paraglided over the mountains of Himachal Pradesh.

Kapildev Rawat had travelled to Himachal Pradesh with his family when he decided to try paragliding. A video documenting his paragliding experience showed him spending around 30 minutes in the air before landing safely.

“When I jumped from the mountain, for the first three or four seconds, it felt like everything was about to end. It was so deep that if something went wrong, everything would be over. But for the next half an hour, it felt like real life. From a height of 24,000 feet, the world below seemed like paradise,” Rawat said.

Watch the video here:

Rawat had heard about elderly people taking up paragliding, including an 80-year-old woman and a 75-year-old man. Their experiences made him wonder why he could not try it at his age.

Kapildev Rawat runs a hotel and said he has always enjoyed travelling. He added that he sometimes closes his shop to go travelling and continues to pursue new experiences despite being 72.

He credited his two sons and the rest of his family for supporting his decision to try paragliding. Their encouragement gave him the confidence to take the leap.

- Ends
(With inputs from Rakesh Kumar Singh)