Paragliding Pre-World Cup kicks off in Himachal’s Bir Billing

Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Kishori Lal inaugurated the international event by flagging off the paragliders on the occasion. The event is being organized jointly by the Billing Paragliding Association and the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation

Otherwise peaceful and picturesque Bir Billing valley near Baijnath in Kangra district became lively and bustling as the weeklong Accuracy Paragliding Pre-World Cup kicked off on Thursday.

The event would conclude on November 2, 2023. (HT photo)

Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) chairman RS Bali virtually flagged of the tournament virtually from Shimla. Earlier, chief parliamentary secretary and Baijnath MLA Kishori Lal performed a yajna at Billing take off site.

At least 186 participants from 33 countries were partaking in the event being jointly organised by the Billing Paragliding Association (BPA) and HPTDC.

Participants from countries like the United States, Australia, New Zealand, France, Sweden, Germany, China, South Africa, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Kazakhstan, Norway, Nepal, Vietnam, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Canada, and the paragliding teams of Indian Air Force, Army, and Navy will be participating in the event.

Two dedicated teams of the Army Adventure Wing and Indian Air Force Adventure Wing have been deployed for any kind of exigency, rescue and evacuation.

In his address, Bali said the state government was promoting adventure sports and Bir Billing would soon host a Paragliding World Cup.

“It is an honour to host the Paragliding Pre-World Cup. Sports enthusiasts and people of the state are excited about this event,” he said

First Paragliding World Cup, which was also India’s first, was held here in 2015. It was also first world cup to be held in India. The current event is second international tournament being held here this year.

Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has envisaged Kangra as a tourist capital of the state and to fulfil this objective, several projects were in the pipeline, said Bali.

The Nagrota Bagwan MLA said Himachal Pradesh being bestowed with immense natural beauty has been a favourite tourist destination.

He said new and unexplored destinations were being developed across the state.

“Recently, a flying festival was organised in Junga of Shimla recently. Earlier, Paragliding Pre-World Cup was organised in Bir Billing in April this year. The state would host more such events in the future,” he said.

Such events would also help revive the tourism and hospitality industry which suffered a setback due to monsoon disasters, he added.

The paragliding championship will conclude on November 2. CM Sukhu will preside over the concluding ceremony.