KOTTAYAM: It began with a quiet dream taking flight over the mist-clad hills of Vagamon, where the winds offered him a glimpse of a world without boundaries. Years later, that passion has carried Jobin Sebastian, 40, from Yendayar in Kottayam district to the competitive skies of Europe, where he is notching up a string of victories and carving out a place for himself among accomplished international paragliders.
For Jobin, however, the achievement goes beyond becoming the first Malayali to make his mark on the European paragliding circuit. What sets his journey apart is his consistency — turning opportunity into triumph and following up one international victory with another, flying the Indian flag high on foreign soil. From the hills of Keralam to the skies of Europe, his story is one of passion, perseverance and a relentless pursuit of the next horizon.
Jobin, who moved to the United Kingdom in 2024 and settled in Yeovil, Somerset, has delivered back-to-back impressive performances at two national paragliding accuracy championships held recently at South Cerney Airfield in Gloucestershire. He secured third place at the 21st FAI Category 2 Paragliding Accuracy National Championships held on September 26 and 27. He followed it up with a victory at the 54th Classic Accuracy National Championships held on October 17 and 18 at the same venue, emerging the overall champion on points and the best pilot.
The podium finish at the FAI Category 2 championship marked the first time an Indian paraglider had secured a podium finish in a competition organised by the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA) in the UK, according to Jobin.
“In the FAI Category 2 national championship, I competed as an Indian. However, in the Classic Accuracy National Championships, I represented the UK team,” Jobin told TNIE.
Jobin also recently competed in the European Paragliding Accuracy Championship in Uroi, Romania, as part of the UK team. The championship, held earlier this month, brought together participants from 26 European countries.
“Being able to compete against top-tier pilots from around the world and interact with them was a valuable experience. I also realised that beyond being a sport paragliding is very much a mental game, as mental strength is crucial,” he said.
Jobin joined paragliding training in the UK in 2025 under Andy Shaw, chief flying instructor at Green Dragons Airsports in Woldingham, UK. Before moving to England, Jobin was a pilot with the Fly Vagamon Paragliding Club and worked as a commercial paragliding instructor for over a decade. He also represented India in the international paragliding competitions held in Uttarakhand, Pune and Vagamon.
Despite his achievements, Jobin faces financial challenges in pursuing the sport, which involves considerable expenses for training and competing internationally. “I cannot continue without sponsorship to support my training and participation in competitions,” he said.
Jobin currently works with a caregiving firm in Yeovil.
