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The world from up yonder
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Unnikrishnan Palat loves dangerous highs, whether in the mountains or up in the air, paragliding or trekking. Adventure sports may well interest tourists in Gods Own Country, he feels
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PHOTO: MAHESH HARILAL
DAREDEVILRY Unnikrishnan Palat advocates adventure sports for youth
Do you dream of flying ? Yes, most of us envisage flying over the land, pinpointing one's house or theplayground or perhaps, even one's homeland; fly like a bird without any other obstacles to stop you.
If this is what you dream of , continue to, for there is every possibility you could really fly over your city! Meet Wing Commander (retired) Unnikrishnan Palat, a freelance adventure sport instructor who has a track record of 1,575 parachute jumps (more than 150 by night) from 19 types of aircraft and helicopters, using 33 types of parachutes and over1,500 flying hours. One of the members of the successful expedition team which reached Nandadevi East's summit in 1981, he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra by the President of India in 1982 and Shyam S. Prabodhini Adventure Award in 2005.
Role model
Entering his home, one notices the framed photograph of a young man with a small boy with the printed words "My hero, my inspiration." The photograph is of Palat with his father, who served in the Army during World War II. Palat reminisces, "I have never seen a man who has more guts than him He recalls the time when he, along with his family travelled on a motorbike from Agra to his home town, Pattambi, where his mother lived. He repeated the adventure when he travelled the same way from Nasik to Pattambi and back to Nasik with his family and a pup. During these times, it was only his father who supported his activities.
Stamina
To comprehend Palat's enthusiasm, one just has to listen to him talk about his adventures. Reliving his experience while climbing Nandadevi East situated at an altitude of 24,391 feet, he recalls the days when the team had to eat sprouted channa with lemon to build stamina , combined with vigorous exercise during the preparatory stages of the expedition.
Palat does not believe in foolhardiness. He says, "I believe in taking only calculated risk." According to him, adventure sport is not a suicidal activity. With reasonable precautions, one can venture into it. He adds , "Only a person who is prepared to take risk, knows how far he can go, should be in it."He explains, "In mountaineering, a team is known as a `rope'. Every individual is tied together at regular intervals by a rope for safety. There might be a crevasse - which could be several feet deep and is concealed by a thin layer of ice on top. Being tied together prevents a person from falling into these deep fissures in the glacier. Even if one falls, others on the rope can arrest the fall. It takes 5-7 days or more depending on the terrain to create a camp site and several such higher camps are to be set up to a peak." In spite of taking these precautions, five members of the expedition died. Palat suffered second-degree frostbites while climbing down Nandadevi; the toes and fingers of some other members had to be amputated.
Unnikrishnan Palat is the first Indian to skydive from a powered hang glider (entry in Limca Book of Records 2001) from an altitude of 8,000 feet. He also led the IAF skydiving team `Akash Ganga' (1993-1997) and was the head of the Indian delegation at the International Sky Diving Competition in Malaysia in 1995. He was given a titanium brace for his spinal column in 2001 after an injury; yet he continues to be actively involved in several activities such as organising shows, imparting training in paragliding, parasailing, rock climbing, trekking, river rafting in Kerala, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan for the NCC, the National Defence Academy, State Youth Affairs and Sports Department, Rotary Clubs and schools and colleges.
Adventure sports
"The potential for adventure sports in Kerala is high. Adventure sports can be mainly classified into aero, terrestrial and water sport. In Kerala, we have mountains, water bodies and land. Kerala is thus geographically uniquely placed. In the Himalayas, where there are only mountains to conduct adventure sports, the rate of sports conducted is the highest in the country. If they can do it, why can't we?"
A short pause and he points out, "It may be because people never knew about the wide possibilities open for adventure sport. Now, the awareness is increasing."
"Adventure sports help people indulge in thrilling activities and the measure of satisfaction is very high. In real life, it takes time to experience certain situations, if at all it is to happen; but through adventure sports we are giving people the chance to experience various situations." According to Palat, tourists are not coming to Kerala just to live in 5-star hotels. Even those who stay in the resorts in Munnar and other locales are looking for a unique experience. They are often interested in camping. Palat's style of training is out-of-the-ordinary. "Five days of training is enjoyable. Members of the team getto know each other, crack jokes, and eat together. In short, personal interaction is the key. For instance, while taking food, probably as a joke, one could ask doubts without the fear of tutor-student interaction." This is how he incorporates the missing links he found during his training days.
Recalling one of his trips abroad he says, "It was during our training cum competition near Moscow in 1976 that I first saw the ramair (square canopies)."
Site specific
Adventure sport activities are site specific. Finding a site is a long procedure - visiting the place to study the locale, then deciding whether it is suitable for the desired sport, doing trial activities, says Palat. "While adventure tourism's basic agenda is to make money; adventure sport is onto promoting the programme among the youth to make them competent citizens of tomorrow and generating employment for the people," adds the enthusiastic freelance adventure sport instructor.
RESMI JAIMON
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