page_title: Rachel Thomas (skydiver)
section_title: International Parachuting Commission
hierarchical_section_title: Rachel Thomas (skydiver) / International Parachuting Commission
caption_attribution_description: English: Rachel Thomas at the North Pole, 2002
context_page_description: Rachel Thomas was the first Indian woman to skydive from 7,000 ft over the North Pole on 20 April 2002, to commemorate 150 years of the Indian Railways.
  During the North Pole expedition she stayed on the ice for six days in - 45-55°C temperature. A former employee of Indian Railways, she was the first female to compete for India in a skydiving competition in 1987 and has the record of being the first Indian female to skydive over the North Pole in 2002. She completed 650 jumps in 18 countries during her career, since her first jump in 1979. A winner of the National Adventure Sports Award, she was honored again by the Government of India, again in 2005, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.
context_section_description: 1991: Attended the International Parachuting Commission as a delegate for India in Switzerland. 
  1992: Was part of the bid for hosting the International Parachuting Commission in India at Paris, where they won the vote against Ireland. 
  1993: Represented India at the International Commission held at Washington, DC, U.S.A.
  1994: Was part of the organizing team for the 45th Plenary of the International Parachuting, held at Agra, India and attended by 35 countries. This was the first international event held in parachuting by India. 
  1995: Attended the International Parachuting Commission in Norway.
caption: Thomas at the North Pole, 2002
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