A tourist from Tamil Nadu lost his life after a mid-air collision between two paragliders in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, on Friday. The deceased, identified as 27-year-old Jeyesh Ram, was an entrepreneur from Vigneshwara Nagar, Tirupur. Following his untimely demise, Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu, a family friend, penned a heartfelt tribute on social media, highlighting the dangers associated with paragliding and the pressing need for stronger safety measures in adventure sports.
The fatal accident occurred when Jeyesh’s paraglider collided with another mid-flight. Both Jeyesh and his pilot sustained severe injuries and were rushed to a private hospital. However, Jeyesh was declared dead on arrival. According to reports, the pilot survived but remained in critical condition.
The tragedy underscored a concerning trend in Himachal Pradesh, where at least seven paragliders have lost their lives over the past 18 months.
Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu attended Jeyesh’s funeral and later took to social media to mourn the loss and urge better safety standards in adventure tourism. "Yesterday, I had the very sad duty of attending the funeral of Jeyesh Ram, the 27-year-old son of my dear friends Cibi Anand and Priya," Vembu wrote. "He lost his life in a paragliding accident in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, last Friday."
Vembu criticised the lack of adequate safety regulations governing paragliding in India. “Way too many accidents happen with sickening regularity, and I am deeply saddened Jeyesh became the latest statistic. Much stronger regulatory oversight is required here," he added.
In his tribute, Vembu described Jeyesh as a kind and ambitious entrepreneur. Jeyesh was the founder of Tools Hub, a fast-growing hardware retail franchise. Vembu revealed that Zoho had invested in Jeyesh’s venture, which had been suggested by Abdul Gafoor, a longtime Zoho customer and close associate of Jeyesh’s father.
“He was very kind to his employees and a risk-taker,” Vembu noted, while cautioning young people against undertaking avoidable risks. Reflecting on the dangers of paragliding in accident-prone regions like Kullu, he said, “I would have done a risk analysis and declined paragliding there.”
The incident has reignited debates over the safety of adventure sports in India, particularly in popular tourist destinations. Vembu called for stricter oversight and improved regulations to prevent such accidents in the future.
The Indian Express reported that the tragedy marked yet another addition to the growing list of fatal paragliding incidents in Himachal Pradesh.
Jeyesh’s death has left a void in the lives of his family, friends, and business associates. As Vembu concluded his tribute, he called for immediate action to safeguard the lives of adventure enthusiasts: “Let this be a wake-up call for stricter regulations to ensure no family has to endure such a heartbreaking loss again.”
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