At 72, Kapildev Rawat from Bihar’s Jamui took up paragliding during a family trip to Himachal Pradesh. He jumped from an altitude of 24,000 feet and spent around 30 minutes in the air before landing safely. Rawat said the first few seconds felt frightening, but the experience soon became unforgettable. He credited his family for encouraging him.
At 72, Kapildev Rawat from Bihar’s Jamui district has shown that age need not stop people from trying something new. During a family trip to Himachal Pradesh, Rawat decided to go paragliding and took a leap from an altitude of 24,000 feet. A video documenting the experience shows Rawat soaring over the mountains for around 30 minutes before landing safely.
‘For the first few seconds, I felt everything was over’
Speaking about the experience, Rawat said the initial moments after the jump were frightening because of the enormous height.
“When I jumped from the mountain, for the first three or four seconds, it felt like everything was about to end,” he said, as reported by India Today.
Rawat recalled looking down from 24,000 feet and described the view as something extraordinary.
“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,” he said.
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The experience, despite the initial fear, turned into an unforgettable adventure for the 72-year-old.
Elderly paragliders inspired him
Rawat said he had heard about elderly people taking up paragliding before deciding to try it himself.
He had learnt about an 80-year-old woman and a 75-year-old man who had taken part in the adventure sport. Their experiences made him question why he could not do the same at his age.
That thought eventually turned into action when he travelled to Himachal Pradesh with his family.
Rather than allowing his age to become a reason to stay away from adventure, Rawat decided to take the opportunity and experience paragliding for himself.
Rawat says travelling is his passion
Rawat runs a hotel in Bihar and said he has always enjoyed travelling and exploring new places. He revealed that he sometimes even closes his shop when he wants to travel. He added that pursuing new experiences remains important even at the age of 72.
His recent paragliding adventure has now become another memorable addition to his travels.
Family support gave him confidence
Rawat also credited his two sons and other family members for supporting his decision. According to him, their encouragement gave him the confidence to take the leap and try something he had never done before.
His experience highlights the fact that trying something new does not necessarily have an age limit. A family trip to Himachal Pradesh became an opportunity for Rawat to challenge his own limits and spend 30 minutes flying above the mountains.