Paragliding World Cup takes off in Himachal’s Bir Billing

The Paragliding World Cup kicked off in Bir Billing with 105 pilots from 38 countries participating in the event. The five-day competition, which began today, features pilots competing in various categories.

The event was flagged off by RS Bali, chairman of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), at the Billing take-off site. Bali emphasised the state government’s push for adventure tourism, stating that hosting Paragliding World Cup would establish Himachal Pradesh as a premier destination for adventure sports.

Bali announced a grant of Rs 31 lakh for Bir Paragliding Association, which is hosting the event on behalf of Tourism Department. He said that CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had directed him to extend all possible help for hosting the World Cup.

Goran Dimishkovski, president of Paragliding World Cup Association, said that this is the second time the World Cup is being held in Bir Billing, which is considered one of the best paragliding take-off sites globally. The president of Bir Paragliding Association, Anurag Sharma, thanked the government and Tourism Department for their support and expressed hopes for hosting more international events at Bir Billing.

 Chief Parliamentary Secretary and Congress MLA from Baijnath Kishori Lal, and former MLA Surinder Kaku were also present at the inauguration ceremony.

 The event has attracted domestic and foreign tourists, with local cafes and hotels experiencing brisk business. The competition will conclude on November 7.