Recently an IAS officer was in news for skydiving in Madhya Pradesh. He is Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism and Culture, Mr. Sheo Shekhar Shukla. The daring officer skydived from a height of 10,000 feet to check whether all safety measures were in place for the first ever Skydiving Adventure Camp being organised in MP from March 1-6.
Also, the officer wanted to encourage adventure lovers to come and participate in the camp by showing the way. The skydiving camp is part of a package of adventure activities planned by the tourism department to promote the state.
In an exclusive interaction with Indian Masterminds, Sheo Shekhar Shukla, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism and Culture and MD, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, detailed the various adventure sports and activities planned by the state government to boost tourism in Madhya Pradesh.
INTRODUCING SKYDIVING
As skydiving is going to be organized for the first time in the state, ensuring safety measures was necessary. So, Mr. Shukla himself took the initiative and jumped from an airplane from a height of 10,000 feet.
He said, “I have heard about it a lot of times and wanted to try it at least once. It was such an amazing experience of my life. After being ensured of all safety standards and their arrangement, we decided to initiate this activity on an experimental basis in our state.”
ADVENTURE CAMP
At the initial level, the camp is going to be organized at two places: Bhopal and Ujjain. On March 1-2in Bhopal and from 3-6 March in Ujjain.
Mr. Shukla said, “We’re trying to organize these kinds of activities in a cost-effective way for all adventure lovers. Our aim is to develop their personality in a way that in future it can be opted as a profession.”
He also informed that the target is for 8-10 jumps from 8am to 6pm everyday. The camp is to be conducted on an experimental basis and if it gets a good response, another camp will be organized at the end of March. The success of the activity will decide the future of such camps.
EMPLOYMENT GENERATION
Mr. Shukla further told Indian Masterminds that the activity will be expanded if the initial camps are a success and people’s response is good. “As per my knowledge, skydiving is available in India only in Narnol, Haryana, so far. Abroad, it is available in countries like Dubai. Now the activity will be available at Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal, and on an airstrip in Ujjain. In future, it can also be developed on an airstrip between Panna and Chhatarpur region.”
The activities are going to be conducted by the Pioneer Flying Academy’s partner Skyhigh India which is a certified trained organization from US Parachute Academy. Any adventure lover can register on the following link paying a fee of Rs. 31,270.
Mr. Shukla said that adventure activities also encourage employment generation. “Around three to four months ago, we started scuba diving in Omkareshwar’s Sailani Island Resort. We got a good response and decided to continue it. It is now attracting more tourists and generating employment for trainees and local people.”
WOOING FOREIGN TOURISTS
Besides adventure activities, the state tourism department is also promoting its cultural heritage aggressively through radio jingles, hoardings, print media, social media, etc. The latest example is Khajuraho Dance Festival. In the past week, talks were organised with around 30 foreign embassies. “We also invited Ambassadors from South Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Finland, Thailand, Malaysia and Brunei to the festival. They will witness not only our cultural heritage but also visit Khajuraho Temple, Orchha and Panna National Park, so that they carry good memories from here with them. Lots of materials will also be provided to them so that our culture can be promoted in their countries.”
The department is also actively promoting heritage walk, seminars, webinars and opportunities for research on the occasion of 75 years of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Around 3000 programmes have been organised so far. Mr. Shukla said, “We want enthusiastic people to come forward and join hands with us to make Madhya Pradesh the ‘The Heart of Incredible India’ in the real sense.”
