It is said that if a person is determined, he can easily do great things, whether it is climbing a mountain or jumping from the sky. However, this is not an easy task. But in reality, the world salutes the one who overcomes all the struggles and reaches great heights. The country’s famous ‘skydiver’ Sheetal Mahajan has done something similar. Recently, the country’s famous ‘skydiver’ Sheetal Mahajan has once again registered her name in the pages of history by jumping from a height of 21,500 feet in front of Mount Everest. She has become the first woman in the world to do so. In fact, 41-year-old Mahajan, awarded the country’s fourth highest award ‘Padmashree’ and holder of many skydiving records, completed skydiving in front of the world’s highest peak Mount Everest on November 13, 2023. Earlier on November 11, Sheetal made her first jump from a height of 17,500 feet. She successfully landed at a height of 12,500 feet at Syangboche Airport with famous New Zealand skydiver Wendy Smith working as her instructor in the aircraft. Then on November 12, 2023, he hoisted the Indian tricolor at Syangboche airport from eight thousand feet. After this, on November 13, he brought glory to the country at the international level by completing skydiving from 21,500 feet near Mount Everest. Due to her success, today she has become a source of inspiration for those daughters who want to come forward in such adventure sports.
First inspiration for skydiving came from friend’s elder brother
Sheetal Mahajan was born on September 19, 1982 in Pune, Maharashtra to Mamta Mahajan and Kamlakar Mahajan, an engineer working at Tata Motors. He studied at Fergusson College, Pune, from where he obtained his graduation degree in Geology. Since childhood, Sheetal wanted to do something different, so that her family and country would be proud. Regarding how she came into the field of skydiving, she says, “I first got the inspiration to enter into the adventurous field like skydiving from Commander Kamal Singh Obed. When I went to buy clothes from the press shop near my house in the year 2000, my eyes fell on a photo in a newspaper. The photo of Commander Kamal Singh Obed was published in the newspaper. Kamal was posted in NDA, Pune at that time.” Sheetal further says, “Commander Kamal Singh Obed was the elder brother of my friend. Because of this, I used to talk to him often. At the same time, I spoke to Kamal on phone and asked him the reason for publishing the photo in the newspaper. On this he asked me to read the news. She says, I did not know English at that time. Saying this, I disconnected the phone. Later it came to light that Kamal was the first Indian who had skydived at the North Pole and South Pole. That’s why his photo was printed in the newspaper. From that very day Sheetal Mahajan decided that he had to become a skydiver only. After this she started dreaming of para jumping.
Did the first skydive of my life over the Arctic Circle in 2004.
To realize her dream, Sheetal first tried to take part in the training conducted in the Indian Navy, but the Navy officials refused to allow her admission. However, later with the help of the then Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam, she joined the National Defense Academy for training in skydiving and para jumping.
After two years of effort and persistence, Sheetal
On April 14, 2004, he did the first skydive of his life over the Arctic Circle. After this he never looked back. On December 15, 2006, Sheetal Mahajan made life’s first quick free fall parachute jump from a Twin Otter aircraft from a height of 11600 feet in a freezing temperature of minus 38 degree Celsius over the South Pole of the white continent of Antarctica. of. Along with this, skydived on both the poles. After this, she also became the youngest woman to achieve this feat at the age of just 23.
Phoenix Skydiving Academy started in Pune
Skydiver Sheetal Mahajan started Phoenix Skydiving Academy in Pune, which trains people and prepares them for skydiving competitions. Sheetal Mahajan, the first Indian woman to perform a wingsuit jump, is a US certified A, B, C and D skydiver and trainer. She was part of the team that performed the first free fall parachute jump over Antarctica. world record created. He has also led a team of 85 Indian skydivers to achieve the record of maximum tandem jump in one hour, which was done in Spain on 25 August 2014. At the same time, her jump from 13000 feet on April 19, 2009 is also a record of height in the women’s category. He also has the credit of free fall jump from a height of 5800 feet and jumping from a height of 24000 feet from a hot air balloon.
Received Padmashree award in the year 2001
Sheetal has brought glory to India globally with her success. For this he has also been honored with Godavari Gaurav Award, Shiv Chhatrapati Maharashtra State Sports Special Award and Venutai Chavan Youth Award. In 2004, Mahajan was also awarded the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award for skydiving at the North Pole, making her the first civilian to receive this award. At the same time, in the year 2001, he was honored with Padmashree, India’s fourth highest civilian award.
Sheetal’s records
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Till now, Sheetal has 17 national and more than 6 international records in her name.
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Has made 704 jumps so far around the world.
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Sheetal’s diving journey started in April 2004 under adventure sports.
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She has jumped from 2400 feet at the North Pole in minus 37 degree temperature.
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In 2016, she jumped from 11,600 feet in Antarctica, becoming the world’s youngest woman to do so.