Joining the ranks of Everester Bachenderi Pal and Antarctica explorer Kanwal Vilku is India’s first and only civilian woman skydiver – Rachel Thomas - all set to take a plunge into the icy North Pole from a death-defying height of 8000 feet!

" It will be like descending from the Himalayas into the frozen continent," says the 47-year-old Rachel whose daughter Anne Thomas was Miss India 1998.

For someone who has completed 655 jumps in her amazing skydiving career spanning 25 years, this will be Rachel’s most adrenalin-pumping attempt ever.

The biggest challenge she foresees is adapting to the extreme weather conditions of the North Pole. " It’s going to be my toughest jump ever as the climate on this desolate land is bone-numbing. The temperature on the ground usually gets to minus 35 degrees centigrade. In the air it is around minus 50," says Rachel Thomas who will be jumping from a special Il-76 plane whose powerful engines are equipped to withstand such extreme icy conditions.

The International Complex Arctic Expedition sets off from the North Pole once in two years. This year, for the first time ever there are will be fun events which include scuba diving, a rugby match and skydiving.

Since this is no ordinary jump, Rachel is undergoing hectic training to acclimatize her with the harsh conditions of the North Pole. The training is so intense that she is being made to even study the maps from Moscow to the base camp in North Pole.

" To keep myself fit I have started doing a two hour regular exercises regimen at the gym. In addition I am jogging for an hour daily," says Rachael whose 18-month-old grand-daughter Ayra usually watches with an amused expression as granny does her daily workouts.

However, the extreme temperature of the North Pole does not dampen Rachel’s spirits. She says she derives inspiration from the Indian soldiers guarding regions like Kargil and Siachen in freezing conditions. " If our soldiers can stay at these icy stations where temperatures are always sub-zero, then my once-in-a-lifetime North Pole jump is nothing in front of their daily experience."

In addition to learning the topography and maintaining her physique Rachel is also concentrating on her attire for this big event in her life. " My baggage for the North Pole will consist of warm and comfortable clothes for parachute jumps. Ill be taking special sun glasses, helmet and parachute suits," says Rachel whose idol is Cheryl Sterns the legendary US woman skydiver. " I am simply overwhelmed by the mind boggling records set by Cheryl. I want to emulate her in all ways."

However, initially things were not smooth for Rachel who realized that it is easier to float in the air at gravity-defying heights than to find a sponsor who will pick up the tab for her event. Finally, when no sponsor came forward, the railway ministry, where she works as publicity inspector, paid her registration fee of $6,000 plus the to and fro airfare.

After over two decades of sky diving in numerous national and international events like Seoul Olympics and the King Hussain Memorial Friendship Jump in Jordan, Rachel is keenly looking forward to the North Pole expedition. " I will be the first woman from India to swoop down on the North Pole," says the skydiver who hails from the Chittranjan district of West Bengal.

Today Rachel is the proud possessor of all the four licences---A,B,C,D. Licence A is awarded after 10 free falls and Licence B after a diver becomes adept with manoeuvring techniques. A formation in the air qualifies a diver for licence C. Licence D is given to those who are ready to become instructors in skydiving.

" Skydiving is a sophisticated form of parachuting. In normal parachuting one jumps from around 350 metres [1000-1200 feet] whereas in skydiving the minimum height of the jump begins from 1500 metres [around 5000 feet]," says Rachael who over the past two decades has dived from aircraft ranging from C1-30 and AN-32 to MI-18.

Winner of numerous accolades like the National Adventure Award in 1994 and the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshni Award 1995, Rachael feels the government and corporate sector should do more for skydiving. "The government must encourage skydiving by making available cheaper flights for the sport."

She feels that skydiving is a neglected sport. "Even mountaineers get a Padmashree but skydiving does not get the required recognition. There is a lot of hard work, skill and mind control which goes into this sport," says Rachel. But despite that, she says she is happy she could achieve her life's ambition of "flying like the birds.".

Once she's in the air Rachael becomes one with the birds she loves so much. " When you look down," she says, " you get the awesome view of the world thousands of feet below. It is an unbelievable feeling. Nothing can ever prepare you for it! "