In love with adrenaline rush

It is not easy to define 40 something Archana Sardana! This multi-faceted woman is a mountaineer, skydiver, base jumper, scuba diver and instructor and a mother of two! A holder of four National Records in Limca Book of Records, she is the first Indian woman to unfurl the National Flag under sea, and on Independence Day.

Delhi-based Archana is India’s only woman base jumper, who created history by scuba diving at Neil Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and ‘unfurling’ the Tricolour at a depth of 60 ft under the sea, off Port Blair.

Her stint with adventure sports began almost 20 years ago after she got married to  a Submarine Naval Officer with the Indian Navy. Once afraid of height and deep water, Archana today, has done 335 skydives and jumped from aircraft, helicopters and a hot air balloon. She is India’s first woman Master Scuba Diver Trainer duly certified by Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) USA and has done more than 150 dives.

“I began with mountaineering during my 20s and then took a break with the birth of my kids. I started off again post 35 in skydiving, base jumping and scuba diving. It has been a gradual transition from one sport to another when I slowly started
overcoming the basic fears of life,” she shares with Metrolife.

She switched to base jumping primarily to prove that an Indian woman can also do this as it is an extremely dangerous sport in which one jumps off from very low heights with a single parachute.

“People generally try this sport after at least 1000 skydives. There three more male base jumpers in the country who are from the Army, Navy and Air Force. I have done 45 Base jumps, mostly at the KL Tower, Malaysia. I am the only Indian who base jumped the KL Tower with the Indian flag. I did it to prove that an Indian woman can also do this,” says Archana, whose two sons featured in Limca Book of Records for being the youn­g­e­st siblings of India to complete Junior Open Water Diver Course and Bubble Maker Course certified by PADI.

Is their love for adventure sports hereditary? “Nobody has adventure sports in their genes. Anybody can do them as long as one is mentored correctly. But yes, my boys want to beat everything I have done and they are already setting standards for other
Indian children.”

According to her, lack of money, government and corporate sector support is what keeps Indian women away from adventure sports. And financial fitness is as important as physical or mental. “Lack of money is what holds Indians back. After four national records, it honestly does not feel any different. These are all to document achievements and for motivating others who are starting off now. These records do not lead to any sponsorships or training grants from either the government or corporate houses,” she complains.

She trained 500 students of Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, from the age group of 10 to 18 in the Discover Scuba Diving Course and presently runs her own venture Archana
Sardana Scuba diving Academy. However, her ultimate aim is something else. “I want
to train 5000 Delhi girls in scuba diving, skydiving, Mount Everest and base jump the Pitampura TV Tower in the City.”

Archana has also done modelling because she does not want to have any regrets in life. “Everyone wants to look good and forever that is not possible because one day age catches up. So for the record that I did look good I do it. I shouldn’t say later on that I didn’t try it!”