Renowned skydiver and Padmashri awardee, Shital Mahajan (Rane), has etched her name in history by accomplishing a daring feat—skydiving in front of the majestic Mount Everest. Over four exhilarating parachute jumps in the Everest region of the Himalayas since November 11, Shital has not only conquered the skies but has also set multiple world and national records.
On November 11, Shital embarked on her first parachute jump from an awe-inspiring altitude of 5000ft AGL / 17500ft, gracefully landing at 12500 ft at Syangboche airport. Guided by the legendary Wendy Smith, a skydiver from New Zealand, this jump marked a historic moment in Shital’s illustrious career.
With this inaugural jump, Shital achieved several world and national records:
World Records:
- First woman in the world to skydive over three poles—the North Pole, the South Pole, and the third pole of the world, Mount Everest.
National Records:
- First Indian civilian woman to skydive in front of Mount Everest.
- First Indian woman to skydive over three poles—the North Pole, the South Pole, and Mount Everest.
The next day, on November 12, Shital executed a flag jump at Syangboche airport from 8000ft, proudly displaying the Indian flag. Accompanied by skydiving legend Wendy Smith and Russian camerawoman Nadia Solovyeva, this jump added another significant record to Shital’s list:
National Record:
- Highest flag skydiving landing done by a woman.
Continuing her extraordinary journey, on November 13, Shital accomplished a challenging jump at the Ama Dablam mountain base camp from an astounding 23,000 ft, landing at 4600m/15091ft. This time, she was guided by Paul Henry de Baere, a renowned skydiver from France known as the “oxygen man” in high-altitude jumps.
On the same day, Shital performed her best jump yet from 21500ft in front of Mount Everest, landing at the highest altitude at Kalapatthar—17444ft/5317m. Once again, Paul Henry de Baere served as her HALO instructor.
Records Achieved on November 13:
World Record:
- Highest altitude skydiving landing done by a woman.
National Records:
- First Indian woman to skydive in front of Mount Everest at Kalapatthar.
- Highest altitude skydiving landing done by a woman.
Skydiving in the extreme mountain environment of the Everest region posed significant challenges, requiring careful consideration of freefall, parachute dynamics, and weather conditions. Shital expressed her gratitude to legendary skydiving experts and acknowledged the support and sponsorship from various individuals and organizations.
The annual Everest skydive, organized since 2008, has become a globally renowned event. Suman Pandey, the founder of Explore Himalaya and the organizer of Everest Skydive, played a pivotal role in initiating skydiving in Nepal.
Shital Mahajan extended her heartfelt thanks to her family, sponsors, and prominent personalities for their unwavering support. She acknowledged the absence of her father and believed he watches over her with pride.
