Mysuru: First, it was the Mysuru City Police Commissioner Mr B. Dayanand, and now, it is the turn of Mysuru Kodagu MP Mr Pratap Simha who took up skydiving on Monday morning at Mysuru Airport, here.
He jumped from 13,000 feet at the speed of 220km per hour in 7-8 minutes under the guidance of American Instructor Mr Douglas.
Tourist destination
Mysuru being an important tourist destination, it has become the fourth place after Gujarat, Chattisgarh and Haryana to operate skydiving under professional guidance.
Speaking about his experience, Mr Simha told Deccan Chronicle, “It was a lifetime experience. I have always admired adventure sports especially racing which is popular in my native place Chikkamagaluru. It is Dr Aanchal Khurana, granddaughter of former Chief Minister of Delhi Mr Madanlal Khurana, who has been organising the sport in Mysuru for the past four months, inspired me to take it up. I felt good. There is greater scope to boost Mysuru tourism with this added attraction,” Mr Simha said.
Mysuru based D S D Solanki popularly known as Tiger Solanki, an adventure enthusiast who joined to cheer Mr Simha, said, “Earlier we had to go to Gujarat for skydiving. Dr Khurana, who later took it up as a profession, brought the sport to Mysuru and it has really been great. American instructors come here for a term of six months on invitation to guide skydiving enthusiasts,” he said.
“With adventure sports becoming popular in the Heritage City, it will indeed become yet another major attraction which will boost Mysuru tourism,” hopes Mr Prashanth B.S., Head of Mysuru Tourism Forum.
