Rachel Thomas (skydiver)

Rachel Thomas
Born Kerala, India
Occupation Skydiver
Years active since 1979
Awards Padma Shri
National Adventure Sports Award

Rachel Thomas is an Indian sportsperson, known to be the first woman skydiver from India.[1][2] A former employee of Indian Railways, she is reported to be the first international woman judge from India and has the record of skydiving over the North Pole in 2002.[1][2][3] She is known to have effected 650 jumps[2] in 18 countries[3] in her career since her first jump in 1979.[1] She has been a member of the team that did practice jumps into the Olympic Stadium, Seoul, Korea, one year prior to the 1988 Summer Olympics.[3] A winner of the National Adventure Sports Award,[1] she was honored again by the Government of India, again in 2005, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.[4]

Rachel Thomas is married to Thomas,[5] an Indian Army officer and the family lives in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.[3] The couple has two children, a son, Dennis, and a daughter, Annie who is a Femina Miss India winner in 1998.[3][6]

See also

  • Skydiving

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Hindustan Times". Hindustan Times. June 16, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "The Hindu". The Hindu. July 11, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "TOI". TOI. November 16, 2003. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  4. "Padma Awards". Padma Awards. 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  5. "India Tribune". India Tribune. November 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  6. "Beauty Pageant International". Beauty Pageant International. August 17, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2014.