Capt Pawar to represent India in international balloon fiesta

Captain Sangram Pawar will be representing India for the first time at the 48th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF) in the US. The event is scheduled to take place from October 5 to 13 at Albuquerque in New Mexico.

AIBF is the world's biggest 'hot air balloon' gathering where over 650 pilots from 25 countries are participating, according to a statement issued here. On August 10, Capt Sangram Pawar became the first pilot to fly the first hot air balloon in the history of Oman, the statement said.

He also happens to be the first balloon pilot from Pune and 24th in India since 1947, it said. The Army officer is the son of former Additional Director General of Police Prakash Pawar and grandson of late Shrirang Jadhav, who represented India in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics as a wrestler in the heavyweight category.