COIMBATORE: City police will soon launch Coimbatore Adventure Sports Federation, a first-of-its-kind adventure sport and gaming activities club run by the uniformed force.
Police would rope in private aviation colleges to design the theoretical and practical aspects of paragliding and parasailing. The club will function at a minimal cost to make it accessible to everyone, especially students. According to sources, the activities would take place in PRS grounds and select private colleges.
Commissioner of Police V Balakrishnan told TNIE, “A rifle club is already functioning in Coimbatore under the guidance of the police department and a large number of people pass the marksmanship through this club every year. We have now decided to start a club for adventure sports and the process of registering it is under way. It will become operational soon.”
Trainer and glider pilot P Babu, who is among the people working on the project, said, “People give more importance to adventure sports in foreign countries, but here there is a perception that this is a game for the rich people. This club aims to change that. Those who undergo training will get certificates for becoming masters in adventure sports like parasailing, paragliding, skydiving, rock climbing, and river crossing, and it will help them to get priority while applying for jobs in defence forces and government sectors. The training will also be of great use in disaster management.”
According to sources, parasailing training was introduced for Coimbatore Police in October 2022 and over 300 police personnel, including officers, were trained. “Following the training sessions, the commissioner said this should be available not only to the police but also to the public. Based on that, we are planning to start a club and provide training to those who are interested in it on a membership basis,” Babu added.