Ist Sikkim International Prargliding Festival 2012.

Four day 1st sikkim International paragliding festival 2012  was organised by sikkim tourism and civil aviation department in association with paragliding association of India(PAI)and Sikkim paragliding adventure sports cooperative society Ltd from Oct31-Nov3 here at gangtok.Last year PAI annual paragliding festival was held at Kamshet ,Maharastra,India.This year total of 60 Indian and International paragliding pilot from Nepal.U.S.A,Austria,South Africaand ,Sweden have participated.
Festival was inaugurated by Bhaichung Bhutia ,former Indian Football captain and the  owner of united sikkim football club.Paragliding Association of India has made him lifetime honorary member during this occasion.

This year main event were free flying,spot landing contest and acro show.In addition to that photo exhibition and evening cultural show at M.G Marg added flavor to this festival.Main attraction of the  festival were Sanu Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Sherpa who were voted as 2012 people's choice adventurer of the year by National Geographic for  climbing Mt.everest,paragliding down and then kayaking to the sea.Both of them were felicitated on this occasion for their achievement.
Take-off point was at bulbulay dara,8km from gangtopk and the landing spot was at Reshithang which is 20 min flight from take-off point.
Initiative taken by Sikkim tourism department to boost the adventure tourism in sikkim by organising such festival was really appreciable said tourist from Mumbai.Success of the festival showed the seriousness of the department and the professionalism of  the youths especially Sikkim paragliding adventure sports co-perative Society Ltd.   This festival has shown the potential of the youth who were in this field and scope of adventure sports in sikkim said Addl. secretary ,Tourism Department.
No doubt festival has given exposure to Sikkim in world over and from now onward Sikkim would be known not  only for beauty and nature but also for adventure sports.