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If you are mentally strong, you can do anything. Indian Air Force para jump instructor Wing Commander Ramesh Chandra Tripathi has shown this death defying act from the top of the Mt. Everest. Six months ago, he had suffered a brain haemorrhage, due to which he had to be resisted from the strenuous activities.
But now he wanted to do this ultimate adventure and to show the world the might of the Indian Air Force.
Wing Commander Ramesh Chandra Tripathi along with two British professional sky divers Leo Dickinson and Ralph Mitchell had spent five days in the Gorakh Shep region to get acclimatised with the high altitude sickness where the concentration of Oxygen is very less causing breathlessness.
"It was a calculated risk but worth it," the jubilant 45-year-old said after he dropped off a helicopter from 20,000 ft in front of Mt Everest to land at Gorakh Shep, the plateau-like area in the lap of the world's highest mountain located at 16,800 feet above sea level.
"What made Wing Commander Tripathi's feat all the more outstanding was his ability to dispense with the minimum acclimatising time needed," expressed joyous Abhishek Pande, skydiving coordinator at Kathmandu's Himalaya Expeditions that organised the event to promote Nepal as a skydiving destination.
Mr. Tripathi had prepared himself for the breathing difficulties by constantly breathing in bottled oxygen half a litre every minute during his chopper ride.
"We live only once," Tripathi said, explaining what made him risk his life to make the drop. "I believe in living that one life adventurously. It was the ultimate adventure and now, if I die tomorrow, I will die a happy man."
The free-fall in the Everest region is plagued with imminent dangers. Strong cold winds could have been a deterrent for the sky diving. But Tripathi could achieve that due to his mental will.
Earlier Mr. Tripathi tried so many times to scale the mountain peaks like Mt Ch Oyu, Mt Lhotse in the Himalayas. He had attempted Mt Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world (8511) in 2008, but failed in his attempt due to the hostile weather. However, in 2005, he scaled the Mt Everest but lost a man during his return.
Tripathi has been awarded President’s Vayu Sena medal for his gallantry in rescuing his climbing partners, facing frostbite on his fingers and toes.
Tripathi is also a leader of the landmark deed started by IAF to climb the seven highest peaks in seven continents by 2010 and the motto of the expedition is: "Touching the sky with glory".
