German embassy organizes slacklining event at Delhi's Red Fort
Mar 02, 2022
New Delhi [India], March 2 : German Embassy in India organized a slacklining event at Delhi's Red Fort last week to mark India's 75 years of Independence and India-Germany friendship.
The German Embassy in New Delhi, in association with One Inch Dreams, organised a day-long event On February 26 featuring Indian and German slackliners at the Red Fort.
Alexander Schulz, a professional slackliner from Germany, told ANI said, "I started this sport when I was 16. I really enjoy doing this now. Now there is a possibility to come to India for the sport."
Adarsh Bhatt, a slackliner from Mumbai told ANI, "The Red Fort event that happened on February 26 was to mark the 75th anniversary of India's independence 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'. German Embassy organised the event. The Ministry of External Affairs also supported the event."
He said the Red Fort event that witnessed the participation of many slackliners was a good effort in promoting slacklining in the country.
"We had about eight Indian slackliners who went up on the highline that was set up about 30 metres. At Red Fort, it was an iconic moment for slackliners from India. It is important to mention here that the sport which otherwise faces resistance from authorities but now it was officially kind of recognised both Ministry of External Affairs and the German Embassy," he said.
Bhatt said slackliners face resistance in terms of access to space. He considered Slacklining a sport to train body and mind similar to Yoga. He said more than 2,005 people practice slacklining across cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad.
He said adventure sports also improves concentration ability. Bhatt informed that the Chattisgarh Government collaborated with slackliners in order to introduce the sport to school children as an extracurricular activity.
"It is important to collaborate with other countries across the globe in every sport, art and walk of life. Indian slackliners had an amazing experience collaborating with the German highlining team," Bhatt added.
Indian artists performed various stunts and tricks on a one-meter high trick line at Red Fort premises.
Slacklining started in 1980 when two American climbers in the Yosemite national park in California looked for a new thrill and spanned their climbing ropes between two trees.
