At 13,000 feet above Benghazi, three UAE-based Indians jumped from an aircraft, opened their parachutes and unfurled the Indian Tricolour mid-air, while dozens of other skydivers did the same with their national flags.
What made the jump especially risky was what followed. The participants had to control the large flags, avoid any entanglement with their parachutes, maintain a safe distance from other skydivers and finally land inside a designated camera-covered zone for the Guinness World Record attempt to count.
Jamsheer Thanalot, Abhishek Rawat and Isha Raj were among 65 skydivers who completed the attempt in Benghazi, Libya. The group included participants from around 38 nationalities, with about 35 different national flags flying through the sky during the jump.
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The attempt took place on August 7, but the official celebrations had to wait. Guinness World Records reviewed the evidence before confirming the record days later, just ahead of India’s Independence Day. For the three UAE-based Indians, the timing made the achievement even more special.
“It is a very proud feeling for us. There were people from so many countries and we were there representing India,” Jamsheer told. The Dubai-based businessman had travelled to Libya specifically for the event and spent about five days there. Participants had to complete three training and qualification jumps before the record attempt.
Before the final jump, Jamsheer faced significant personal doubt. “I told my wife before going that there was a chance I might not be able to participate in the final jump. It was high-risk and there was always a possibility of being disqualified during the qualification jumps,” he said. The pressure resulted in poor sleep; he recorded only three hours of rest the night before, with his smartwatch indicating a sleep score of just 12 per cent.
“I couldn’t sleep properly. It was the same feeling for many of us. We knew how important and challenging the next day was going to be,” he admitted. His anxiety was compounded by the presence of elite skydivers in the group. “There were people with 1,000 jumps, 5,000 jumps and even 10,000 jumps. Compared to them, I am still new to the sport,” said Jamsheer, who has completed more than 320 jumps.
Once cleared for the final attempt, the focus shifted to technical execution. After deploying their parachutes, the skydivers had to manage their flags while navigating a crowded sky. “The flag or its lines cannot get tangled with the parachute. At the same time, you have to keep a safe distance from the other skydivers and make sure you reach the correct landing area,” Jamsheer explained. Landing was critical, as the designated camera-monitored zone was the only way to verify the record.
For Jamsheer, this milestone marks a significant chapter in a UAE journey that began in 2011. The Kannur native arrived in the country as a salesman earning Dh1,200 a month before eventually launching his own e-commerce business, Jazp.com. Skydiving became a passion four years ago, leading him to compete in Russia, Kuwait, and the UAE.
He credits Emirati skydiver Saif Mattar, his team manager and trainer, for his success. “Saif knows me very well because he has trained me. His confidence in me was one of the reasons I got this opportunity,” said Jamsheer. Jamsheer described Abhishek Rawat as one of the more experienced members of the Indian group, noting that his expertise was invaluable during the high-stakes attempt.
Jamsheer was joined by Abhishek Rawat, from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, and Isha Raj, from Patna in Bihar, both of whom reside in Abu Dhabi. After jumping thousands of times between them and travelling to Libya for one of their most challenging attempts, the three UAE residents returned with a record and the memory of watching the Indian tricolour fly at 13,000 feet. That confirmation arriving just before August 15 gave the three Indians another reason to celebrate their national pride.
“Even a small mistake could create a serious situation,” he said.
Jamsheer said his team won a gold medal at a skydiving competition in Kuwait last year and finished third at another competition in Dubai.
Rawat works as a Product Design Lead at Malaffi in Abu Dhabi, while Raj is an account director at Edelman Smithfield in Abu Dhabi.
The event was organised by Skydive Benghazi, Ultimate High by Yas, Saif Matar, Yasen, CEO of Skydive Benghazi, Nithin and Juan Mayer.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories.
He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.
Source: Khaleej Times
