Braving the bone-chilling Russian winter and leaping from an altitude of 16,732 feet, Ajit Karbhari from Kolivali village, Kalyan, paid a unique tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by skydiving with the revered leader’s image in hand on the occasion of Shivaji Jayanti (February 19).
Driven by both devotion and a desire to promote adventure sports in Maharashtra, Karbhari undertook the daring feat at the Aerograde Dropzone in Kolomna, approximately 200 kilometers from Moscow. With temperatures plummeting to a freezing minus 36 degrees Celsius, the 43-year-old performed the skydive alongside Colonel Kostya Krivotschev, a chief instructor in the Russian Army. “This was my 57th jump, but by far the most meaningful,” Karbhari shared with Sports Plus. “I wore six layers of clothing to endure the cold and held the image of Maharaj tightly, inspired by his fearless spirit.”
Karbhari, who works as an Assistant Manager in Fire Safety at a private company, completed his basic skydiving course with the Indian Air Force in 2007. Since then, he has actively pursued the sport, participating in competitions across India and earning internationally recognized licenses in Russia (A License) and Thailand (B License). He now holds the distinction of being the first Indian to skydive with an image of Shivaji Maharaj.
The initiative, Karbhari explained, was about more than personal accomplishment. “This tribute was my way of inspiring the youth of Maharashtra to embrace adventure sports and carry forward Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy of courage,” he said. “It is unfortunate that such sports receive little encouragement in our state.”
Adventure sports like skydiving, which are recognized by the Olympics, remain largely underdeveloped in India, with limited training centers and high participation costs. Commenting on this, Avinash Ombase, a member of the State Sports Policy Committee, noted, “Ajit Karbhari has consistently championed the cause of adventure sports. The government must now step up with institutional support. With the right backing, Maharashtra’s youth could achieve excellence in this field—even on the Olympic stage.”
As Karbhari continues to break new ground, his airborne salute to Shivaji Maharaj is not only a powerful tribute to a historical icon but also a call to action for nurturing India’s adventure sports potential.
Read More about him – A National Skydiving Champion
Ajit Karbhari is a renowned national skydiving champion from Mumbai, India, with over 17 years of experience in the sport. As a proud member of both the Maharashtra and Indian skydiving teams, Ajit has made significant contributions to promoting skydiving in India, particularly in Maharashtra.
Achievements
- Record-Breaking Skydiving Feat (2025): On February 28, 2025, Ajit set a national record by skydiving with a 780-square-meter flag of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, during his 200th jump. This was the largest flag ever held during a skydiving jump in India.
- Previous Record (2009): Ajit skydived with a 350-square-meter flag of the Indian National Congress, setting a record at the time.
- Cultural Tributes: Ajit has consistently honored historical figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj through his skydiving feats, blending sport with cultural reverence.
Career Highlights
Ajit Karbhari has completed over 200 skydiving jumps, showcasing his skill and dedication to the sport. His jumps often serve a dual purpose: achieving athletic excellence and inspiring others to take up skydiving. On February 28, 2025, at the Bhawani Peth Sports Complex in Kolhapur, Ajit performed his record-breaking jump at an altitude of 14,000 feet in the presence of dignitaries like Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Kolhapur MP Shahu Chhatrapati.
Ajit is passionate about promoting skydiving among the youth of Maharashtra and has expressed his ambition to attempt a future jump with a 1,000-square-meter flag to further this mission.
Recognition
Kolhapur MP Shahu Chhatrapati lauded Ajeet’s 2025 skydiving feat, noting its role in honoring Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj while promoting skydiving as a sport. Ajit’s efforts have brought pride to Maharashtra and continue to inspire aspiring athletes across India.
Ajit Karbhari remains a trailblazer in Indian skydiving, combining athletic prowess with a deep respect for cultural heritage.
THANK YOU FOR APPRECIATION AND FLASHEW THE SKYDIVING FLAG JUMP
It’s so prestigious and proudly historical moment.
JAY SHIVRAY
Very proud of you Ajit Karbhari Sir for such a great idea for our Maharaj Shivchhatrapati ..
Keep doing such inspiring events..
Congratulations to all of you including your team members & all supporters !
🙂👍
Amazing Happy Moments for All Indian’s.
Jai Bhavani Jai Shivaji Maharaj
🚩 जय शिवराय 🚩
GREAT SIR WE ARE PROUD OF YOU
Very good ajit . karbhari sir
Wee are proud of you for doing this 👏
Event.
Keep doing Like this event
And once again we are proud of you
For flaging chatrapati shivaji Maharaj s
Flag while doing sky diving.
Great .👏👏🙏
🇮🇳🇮🇳Feeling proud to be Indian🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳Well done Mr Ajit sir , keep moving all the best for your future journey 👍🏻👍🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
Mr. Ajit Karbhari is a highly experienced and enthusiastic Skydiver and Leader in Maharashtra, India. His contribution to promote skydiving is extremely commendable. His individual achievements as a national records inspired many athletes to look after this extremely adventures sport in India. His aim to get more and more participation for this sport will definitely gets recognised one day. Hope Govt of India and Govt of Maharashtra will recognise his excellence by giving him prestigious Shiv Chhatrapati Award and Arjun Award for the Skydiving Sport.
Great skydiving photo featuring Shivaji Maharaj…this is a artistic and cultural representation..Congratulation Ajit.
Ajeet Karbhari’s skydiving achievement in 2025 is not just a personal milestone but a symbolic tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s fearless spirit. His act has powerfully fused adventure with cultural reverence, putting Indian skydiving in the spotlight. Kudos to Ajeet for elevating both Maharashtra’s pride and India’s sporting aspirations!
Proud of u sir💪🔥👍
Keep it up👍
Mr. Ajit Karbhari, we are so proud of your tribute to our Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj! We’re proud that you’re the one who made this happen, and it’s truly eye-opening for everyone. My dear friend, stay blessed and continue to do more to inspire greater things.
Wonder ful performance
Proud of you
My very happy for the achievement of this activity by Mr. Ajit Karbhari.. I am also interested in this will meet you Soon.. Proud of you Ajit and congratulations!! Manu more to come
My very happy for the achievement of this activity by Mr. Ajit Karbhari.. I am also interested in this will meet you Soon.. Proud of you Ajit and congratulations!! Manu more to come
This is absolutely amazing Ajit sir. You have the greatest courage among all of us. Whole Bharat country is fully proud of you. I wish you more such successes in your future adventures. Jai Hind!! Jay Shivray!!
Wow just read this on Facebook this is a world record,the jump is made without oxygen support and can be registered in FAI