Kokrajhar: The 1st Bodoland International Paragliding Accuracy Championship 2019 was flagged off by Assam’s social welfare minister Pramila Rani Brahma at Dangdufur Hill in Kokrajhar district on Monday.
A total of 68 participants from nine different countries including India are participating in the four-day-long championship in the heart of Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) region.
There are 22 foreign participants, including four women. While six from participants are from Indonesia, five each from China and Korea, four from Korea and one each from Japan and Taiwan. Host nation India has 46 participants.
Minister Brahma emphasised on healthy aero-adventure midst attractive and natural surrounding along Dangdufur Hill in Bodoland region. She said that the green beautiful natural scenes of the hills seem more attractive as paragliders have arrived with their paragliding materials.
Lauding the organisers for conducting a championship of international level, she hoped that the paragliding spirit will put Bodoland region on the global tourism map.
“We must explore tourism adventure in BTAD area with attractive natural beauty looking and hence, we must have a peaceful and healthy integrated environment,” added the minister.
Deputy chief of BTC and in-charge of forest and tourism department, Kampa Borgoyary, said that there is a good potential of tourism sector in the region. As such, the BTC’s tourism department is working to attract more foreign tourists, he added.
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Borgoyary also said that BTC region has a beautiful natural tourist spot as well river rafting feasibility. He emphasised on exploration of the tourism sector in the international level and hoped that the world will know about the attractive tourist spots of the region.
Championship coordinator Violeta Mateikiene from Lithuana expressed her excitement that BTAD administration in Assam has organised the international paragliding event and several foreign paragliders are participating in the event. She said that the championship is getting globally unique as BTC region has good and attractive natural beauty that is paving the way for healthy natural tourist. She said that six foreign judges have taken the responsibility of judging the championship. She said that strict observation and disciplines are to be monitored in the championship.
A pilot from Japan, Mitsuharu Koga, who arrived at the championship venue, said he was hopeful that the championship will have its grand successful while exposing Bodoland tourism in the international arena.
The championship event saw a multi-cultural troupe demonstration, apart from Bodo and Garo community.
The championship will conclude on November 14. The best glider would be given a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, besides several gifts.
