Sikkim fast emerging as paragliding hotspot

New Delhi: Sikkim is fast emerging as one of the paragliding hotspots of the country, thanks to its launching sites and ridges which are attracting thousands of domestic and international adventurers.

The picturesque northeastern state has set a target to attract 5,000 paragliding tourists each year by 2020 by creating modern facilities for the sport. The state government aims to generate annual economic activities of Rs 10 crore from paragliding events by 2020, Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling said in a statement. Sikkim registered 6,000 paragliding tourists in the past three years and the number is increasing steadily each year. The state gained popularity among the paragliding community after the successful organisation of first Sikkim Paragliding Festival at Bulbuley Dara in 2012. The festival was organised by the state government in association with Paragliding Association of India and Sikkim Paragliding Adventure Sports Co-operative Society. Around 60 Indian and international paragliding pilots took part in various events like free flying, spot landing contest, acro show and tandem flights, during the four-day festival. At present, Sikkim has more than 35 qualified commercial pilots who are conducting paragliding sessions at the backdrop of mountain ranges in its three paragliding sites at Bulbuley Dara, Ranka and Chakung, Tourism Minister Bhim Prasad Dhungel said. Sikkimese paragliding pilots are also providing training and technical expertise at various other places in the northeastern states to promote adventure sports in the entire region, Dhungel said. At present, around 100 youths are associated with paragliding events which generate annual economic activities of around one crore in a year. The state government plans to encourage around 500 youths to join paragliding sports by developing two more modern sites at Yumthang and Soren with world class facilities at a cost of Rs 10 crore during the 12th Five Year plan. Paragliding services in the state are also being diversified after the Sikkim paragliding festival and a new hike and fly route in west Sikkim has been established. A new paragliding route from Phoktey Dara (along Indo-Nepal border) and Dentam has also been identified.