Nepal’s Aman Thapa won the paragliding competition for the second time

The four-day Flying Festival and Hospitality Expo-2024 in Junga concluded on Saturday, featuring 40 paraglider pilots from both India and abroad. The event saw intense competition, with the semi-finals and finals of the paragliding championship taking place on the last day, resulting in a total of 64 flights.

Aman Thapa from Nepal secured the first position for the second consecutive year, winning a cash prize of ₹2.25 lakh along with a trophy. Last year as well, Thapa claimed the top spot. Akshay Kumar from Chamba Khajjiar finished second, and Mohit Kumar from Dharamshala took third place. Both received cash prizes of ₹1.25 lakh and ₹75,000, respectively.

The closing ceremony was graced by Naresh Chauhan, Media Advisor to the Himachal Pradesh Government, and Bhoranj MLA Suresh Kumar, who presented the awards to the winners. Chauhan expressed pride in Junga’s growing prominence on the international tourism map, crediting the flying festival for boosting the area’s visibility. He highlighted the immense potential for adventure tourism in Junga, which could create numerous self-employment opportunities in the region.

MLA Suresh Kumar also praised the event’s organizer, Arun Rawat, for the successful execution of the festival. Arun Rawat, CEO of The Glide Inn, welcomed the guests and provided a detailed overview of the four-day Paragliding and Hospitality Expo. He thanked local authorities and the tourism department for their support in making the championship a success.

Before the prize distribution, Naresh Chauhan and Suresh Kumar visited various exhibitions set up at the festival, where they appreciated the products displayed by local self-help groups. Other prominent attendees included Tehsildar Narayan Singh Verma, local head Basni Lal Kashyap, and several intellectuals from Junga.