When he was a child, Govind Yewale would watch with wonder as paragliders took off from the Panchgani hills in Satara district of Maharashtra and land in their fields.
He always wanted to experience for himself what it would be to fly like the birds.
However, when an European tourist agreed to give him a joyride, Yewale’s flight of fancy took wings and paved the way for him to pursue a career in aviation adventure sports.
“The first flight is still etched in my memory. I was a bit anxious as we lifted off the ground but then, it was an exhilarating experience to be in the sky like a bird,” said Yewale, speaking by phone from the Rann of Kutch.
That 15 minutes in the air completed his dream to be air-borne. Two decades later, Yewale is among a handful of people in India to own a paratrike, a paraglider powered by an aircraft engine with a seating for two, and one of three who rents it out for joyrides.
The Gujarat government has roped him to fly tourists on his paratrike at the Rann Utsav in Kutch.
Yewale said: “Since December 1, 2014, I have already flown 1,200 hours on the paratrike at the Rann Utsav.”
Its popularity can be judged from the fact that each five minute ride costs about Rs 2,000.
25/01/15 Ganesh N/Daily Mail
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He always wanted to experience for himself what it would be to fly like the birds.
However, when an European tourist agreed to give him a joyride, Yewale’s flight of fancy took wings and paved the way for him to pursue a career in aviation adventure sports.
“The first flight is still etched in my memory. I was a bit anxious as we lifted off the ground but then, it was an exhilarating experience to be in the sky like a bird,” said Yewale, speaking by phone from the Rann of Kutch.
That 15 minutes in the air completed his dream to be air-borne. Two decades later, Yewale is among a handful of people in India to own a paratrike, a paraglider powered by an aircraft engine with a seating for two, and one of three who rents it out for joyrides.
The Gujarat government has roped him to fly tourists on his paratrike at the Rann Utsav in Kutch.
Yewale said: “Since December 1, 2014, I have already flown 1,200 hours on the paratrike at the Rann Utsav.”
Its popularity can be judged from the fact that each five minute ride costs about Rs 2,000.
25/01/15 Ganesh N/Daily Mail
