Aru Valley hosts first-ever high-altitude paragliding Festival
Over 30 pilots participate, feel overwhelmed
Pahalgam: In a major boost to adventure tourism in Kashmir, the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (JIM&AS) for the first time in its history organised a two-day high-altitude Paragliding Festival in the breath-taking meadows of Aru Valley in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
The event, held at one of the highest paragliding take-off points in the region, drew more than 30 pilots-cum-paragliders from various states across India, making it one of the largest participation-based adventure events in the valley in recent years.
Adventure enthusiasts soared above Aru’s lush forests, snow-capped peaks, and crystal-clear streams, giving the audience a spectacular display of skill, colour and enthusiasm. The festival has been hailed as a milestone in introducing Aru as a promising hub for aero-sports.
Col. Hemchandra, Principal of the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports, said the successful conduct of the festival marks the beginning of a new chapter for adventure sports in the region.
“Aru Valley has the potential to attract paragliders from across the globe, provided we take strong initiatives to start and promote paragliding in South Kashmir’s Aru–Pahalgam belt,” he said.
Col. Hemchandra added that the institute aims to create an environment where high-altitude adventure sports become a regular feature, ultimately generating employment and boosting tourism.
“Locally, people have now begun to understand the importance of mountaineering and adventure sports. Many youths are already taking it seriously, and some are even carving out successful careers in these fields,” he added
Locals who witnessed the festival also appreciated the initiative, saying that such events help showcase Aru’s natural beauty on a global map while offering livelihood opportunities. They expressed hope that the administration and tourism authorities will continue supporting similar programmes in the future.
The two-day festival concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony and a commitment from JIM&AS to make adventure sports a sustained part of the region’s tourism calendar.
