'Truly exhilarating': Tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat experiences tandem skydiving
Narnaul (Haryana), Jul 13: Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday strapped up adventure gears and took part in tandem skydiving in Haryana's Narnaul and said he foresaw a "bright future" for India in the aero-sports tourism area.
The occasion was World Skydiving Day and the minister also flagged off an aircraft that will be used for skydiving, said to be the first such aircraft in the country.
Early morning, Shekhawat, 56, reached the Narnaul airstrip to experience the thrill in the sky. He was accompanied by his two daughters on the occasion.
Soon after touching down post the tandem skydiving activity, the Union minister shared his experience with mediapersons.
In tandem skydiving, a professional skydiver accompanies the person taking part in it during the whole exercise.
"This day is surely an adventurous day for me, and for the entire world it is an important day in the field of aero-sports, when they are celebrating World Skydiving Day for the first time. In this field, skydiving facility has started at Narnaul (airstrip) here in India and I took part in a jump here today," Shekhawat said.
"I feel thrilled and side by side can foresee a bright future for India in the tourism sector and in aero-sports segment starting from today," he told reporters here.
The Tourism Minister said interest towards adventure sports has grown world over and many Indians in large numbers go to different countries, such as the UAE (Dubai), Singapore, Thailand, New Zealand, to enjoy these aero-sports and skydiving.
"After starting this facility in India, people will get an opportunity to take part in an adventurous exercise, and it will also be an important step in the direction of boosting tourism in he country," he added.
He said a very wonderful and amazing future of aero-sports was beckoning, and added that the Centre will work with state government and private partners engaging in this field to further promote it in different places in the country.
Later, the minister also shared a few pictures and videos in a series of post on X on his experience at Narnaul that was organised by a private entity.
"Today on World Skydiving Day, I too enjoyed its unique thrill. Its facility has started on private level in Narnaul, Haryana. I am happy that the tourism sector in India is getting equipped with world-class facilities. We invite tourists with open arms from the ground to the sky," he wrote on X.
"Truly exhilarating! On the occasion of World Skydiving Day, had the pleasure of flagging off the new skydiving aircraft and taking a tandem skydive this morning at Skyhigh—India’s only civilian skydiving drop zone at Narnaul Airstrip, Haryana. For new and adventurous Bharat, the skies too are no limit," he wrote in another post.
दिन विशेष: स्काई डाइविंग का रोमांच। pic.twitter.com/iGoaQLDeyL
— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) July 13, 2024
आज विश्व स्काई डाइविंग दिवस पर मैंने भी इसके अनोखे रोमांच का लुत्फ़ लिया। नारनौल, हरियाणा में इसकी सुविधा निजी स्तर पर प्रारंभ हुई है।
— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) July 13, 2024
मुझे प्रसन्नता है कि भारत में पर्यटन का क्षेत्र विश्वस्तरीय सुविधाओं से लब्ध होता जा रहा है। हम ज़मीन से आसमान तक बांहें फैलाकर पर्यटकों को… pic.twitter.com/m4ExqC9cKE
Truly exhilarating!
— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) July 13, 2024
On the occasion of World Skydiving Day, had the pleasure of flagging off the new skydiving aircraft and taking a tandem skydive this morning at Skyhigh—India’s only civilian skydiving drop zone at Narnaul Airstrip, Haryana.
For new and adventurous Bharat,… pic.twitter.com/0Clb8iykw4
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
