Bir-Billing (Himachal Pradesh): Mohan Singh (35) was given a tearful farewell by family and friends at the Barsahan village in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.
Hundreds of his colleagues – all of them paraglider pilots – had travelled to the village from Bir-Billing to attend the funeral, and not without reason. It is for people like Singh that Bir-Billing has emerged as the “Paragliding Capital of India”, visited by some of the world’s top paragliders, apart from foreign and domestic tourists.
Singh lost his life on Friday after ensuring that his passenger remains unharmed in the crash.
A tourist from West Bengal was strapped to Singh on Friday in what was to be a tandem flight, as reported by The Tribune. Weather conditions were unstable, and Singh, known among pilots for his patience and calm judgement, waited for a safe wind window, allowing several others to take off before him.
When conditions briefly appeared favourable, Singh launched from the main take-off point near the road. Moments later, the wind suddenly shifted. The glider lost lift and began to descend rapidly.
Realising the danger, Singh’s instinct was not self-preservation, but protection. He secured the passenger, ensuring the tourist remained safe, even as he struggled to control the collapsing glider.
“In those critical moments, Singh fell to the ground while saving the life entrusted to him. He suffered severe head injuries and was rushed to hospital, but delays caused by traffic on the Baijnath-Palampur road proved fatal. He could not be saved,” it has been reported.
Singh had nearly 15 years of paragliding experience and was a familiar, respected figure at Bir-Billing. He had flown extensively in Billing and Manali and even represented India at the Paragliding World Cup.
Colleagues remember him as calm under pressure, deeply professional, and unwavering in his commitment to passenger safety.
Singh had recently built a home near the Kyore landing site. He is survived by his wife and two young children. His brother is also a paraglider pilot.
As a mark of respect, all paragliding activities in Bir-Billing were suspended on Saturday.
