It’s a passion that fuels your spirit and gives you a unique sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Having found his purpose at a very young age, this youth from Shillong is creating waves across the country with his paragliding skills.
Introducing Jovial Andre Laloo – a world record holder, hailing from Shillong in Meghalaya. Laloo scripted history for Meghalaya in the Paragliding Accuracy Pre-World Cup held in the world’s highest Paragliding site in Ladakh from August 25 to 28.
He was awarded for competing in the highest Paragliding Accuracy competition, a world record recognised by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI).
WHAT IS FAI?
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) is located in Lausanne, Switzerland. The FAI is the world governing body for air sports and is also known as the World Air Sports Federation.
The FAI was founded in 1905 by eight founding members from Belgium, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States.
It maintains world records for aeronautical activities, including space flights, ballooning, aeromodelling, and drones. It promotes safety, skill, and proficiency in aeronautics and awards medals and diplomas to people who contribute to the FAI’s goals.
WHO IS JOVIAL ANDRE LALOO?
Jovial is a 32-year-old youth who resides at Mawprem in Shillong. He currently works as a part-time teacher at Don Bosco Youth Centre and Don Bosco Technical School in the city.
For Laloo, paragliding is not just a hobby—it’s something that excites him, challenges him, and brings him a sense of freedom and exhilaration. He found something that truly resonated with him.
“Yes, I am more into adventurous sports. I was introduced to paragliding in 2019 but before that, I already had an interest in aero sports and aviation,” Laloo said.
His aim was to join the Indian Air Force as a pilot but due to his height, he couldn’t chase after his dream job. But that didn’t stop him from swimming in the clouds – thanks to paragliding!
“I am a sportsman; before paragliding, I was into running, cycling, and swimming. In 2019, after much research, I joined a course in paragliding in Himachal Pradesh. And ever since, my dream to fly into the wide blue yonder took off. There is no turning back,” the enthusiast said.
After going through many trials and errors for six years, under different mentors, Laloo is now considered a pro-competition paragliding pilot.
View this post on Instagram
A LITTLE ABOUT THE PARAGLIDING ACCURACY PRE-WORLD CUP
The 2024 Pre-Paragliding Accuracy World Cup officially began on August 25 in Ladakh. The world’s highest paragliding accuracy competition, held at 14,400 feet, as part of the Ladakh Aero Festival, aims to position the region as a global hub for aero sports enthusiasts.
“I am more than honoured to compete in the world’s highest paragliding site along with pro paragliding pilots from across the world. I didn’t win the competition – a professional from Nepal took home the winner’s trophy. But all pilots, including me, who competed and completed were awarded and recegnised as world record holders,” Laloo informed.
Laloo and another youth from Garo Hills were the only two pilots from Meghalaya to compete in the event but his counterpart from Garo Hills couldn’t complete after he met with an accident during the competition and damaged his paraglider.
YOU MUST KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING
“The place we competed is a very unstable location and the wind condition is strong and dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. The environment in Ladakh is unpredictable and the wind changes every time. Everyone flew at their own risk and we were required to have our flying insurance which covers accidents in this discipline,” Laloo explained.
People have to adjust to the acclimatization altitude and the lack of moisture in the atmosphere; those with weak immune systems cannot compete in this competition.
“The mind needs to constantly change and transform to be in this sport because you have to deal with tremendous amount of mental conditioning and the willpower to proceed, considering it is a potential dangerous sport if you don’t know what you are doing,” the paragliding pilot said.
The skill to perfect this sport is never-ending and requires continuous study of oneself, equipment, and, most importantly, the weather conditions.
“It’s a sport that you will have to study your whole life because we fly with Mother Nature and it changes every time,” Laloo said,
When asked about his targets, Laloo has two goals in mind — one is to compete in the Cross-country Paragliding World Championship and the other is to take part in the Red Bull X-Alps’ Hike and Fly which is the world’s toughest adventure race.
