HYDERABAD: A veteran skydiver and a budding table tennis player who will be giving a talk at the TEDx Hyderabad 2019 this Sunday tell us about being limitless in their talent and thought
Rachel Thomas, the veteran skydiver
Sky diving is an adventurous and commendable choice for any Indian, especially a woman. Can skydiving be a full-time profession?
Glad you say that skydiving is a commendable choice for an Indian woman. It was quite challenging in the early 80s to be involved with this adventurous sport. Even Bachendri Pal had not scaled Mt. Everest, and very little about skydiving was known in our country – no TV show/no YouTube/No Googling etc. Skydiving can be a full-time profession – one can choose to be a trainer, a coach, a Master Rigger – (who packs your reserve parachute which needs to be repacked once every six months by a professional). However, I am not a fulltime skydiver. I had a family to support so I had a job. I am India’s first woman to skydive over the North Pole.
What does it feel to just do a fall, with a harness of course, in the sky?
Freefalling – as it’s rightly named – is the closest one can be a bird in the sky. The sad part is that we don’t have hollow bones as birds do, so we lose height due to gravity and can never soar back to the height we exited from the aircraft. If I freefall from 10,000 ft, I skydive till 3,000 ft, before I open I main parachute, to land safely to the place which is a dropzone. So I have free-fallen for 7,000 ft, in 45 seconds. So during those 45 seconds, we try may position while falling. Here’s a quick look at the position:
Spread Eagle: Where our hands are parallel to our body and legs are straight out as ‘V’
Frog Position: The straight parallel hands have been folded to a ‘L’ but, from the shoulder to the elbow it has to be straight/parallel to body. In the same manner the legs are folded.
Delta Position: When both your legs are straight out in a closer ‘V’ and both the hands are straight back touching our thighs – we fly like a jet plane. In this position we flying horizontal to the earth – this is the only position where we can cover great distance – used a lot by commandos in the army for tactical operations.
We can do turns, to the left or right, have to learn how to stop it too, do barrel loops. The toughest position to master is sta ing straight in the sky.
Can anyone try skydiving?
You can do skydiving from 19 years onwards as long as you desire provided you are fit. Professional skydiver who are in competitions put their full dedication for five years, but that does not mean they stop skydiving. Yes, we do need to keep ourselves fit and agile for the sport. There are Tandem Jumps where you can go as a passenger with a tandem Master and just enjoy what free falling is all about.
Neha Agarwal, table tennis player
What’s an average day in the life of a table tennis player, especially when training for a big match the following week?
Typically, we practice about six hours on the table and an hour for physical fitness. If there is a big match the following week, we would spend more time on match practice & condition the body well so that it feels its best on match day.
What keeps you motivated when you feel you are losing it? Who are your role models?
In tough times it’s important to remember why you started playing the sport and your love for the sport. I had a very bad phase from 2010 to 2012, so much that I wanted to quit the sport then. But I think I worked the hardest at that time as I knew that there was a lot of unfinished business.
How did you overcome your fears/insecurities while on the court?
I think while playing matches at the Olympic levels, there is no room for insecurities and fears. As soon as these crop in, you will be left behind as you will not be able to perform at the top level. During the match, you have to be tough & ruthless to be able to do your best.
Viiveck Verma, Curator-Licensee, TEDxHyd
About speaker line up: We believe that life is full of limitless opportunities. Everyone has the potential to become ‘limitless’ if one masters the art and science of thinking beyond the existing possibilities. This can help them overcome the limits they set on themselves as they turn Limitless. This year we have 15 speakers, including three Padmashri awardees, on stage – each with their own interpretation of the theme limitless. The basis for picking speakers is that their idea should either have created an impact or should have the ability to inspire people to create an impact. The impact should be positive, quantifiable and must change society for the better. We love bringing in unsung heroes to share their stories with you. The event will take place 8 am onwards on September 22 at The Address Convention, Narsingi.
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