Panchgani Student Takes Paragliding Route to Reach Exam Centre on Time

Panchgani, 17th February 2025: In a dramatic turn of events, a first-year BCom student, Samarth Mahangde, made a last-minute airborne dash to his exam centre after realizing he was about to miss his test. The 19-year-old, who runs a sugarcane juice stall at Harrison’s Folly in Panchgani, had no idea that his university exam was scheduled for the day until his friends called to check on him.

“I was completely unaware that the exam date had changed because my hall ticket wasn’t updated,” Mahangde said. “I was at my stall when my friends called, asking why I hadn’t reached the centre. I panicked.”
The exam centre was 15 km away in Pasarni village, at the foothills of Pasarni Ghat, a winding section of road notorious for slow-moving traffic. Driving down the ghat could have taken at least 30 minutes, and with time slipping away, he knew he had to act fast.

Desperate, Mahangde approached Govind Yewale, a local paragliding instructor at Harrison’s Folly, pleading for help. At first, Yewale was skeptical. “I scolded him for being so careless about his exam schedule,” Yewale said. “But then I saw how desperate he was and decided to help.”
With Yewale’s assistance, a paraglider was arranged, and Mahangde was strapped in for an unconventional journey. “The usual drive would have taken too long, so paragliding was the only option,” Mahangde said. Within five minutes, he was soaring over the ghat and landing near the exam centre.

As soon as he landed, Mahangde sprinted toward the building, reaching the exam hall just in time. “The question papers were already being distributed, but thankfully, I was allowed to enter,” he recalled.

Meanwhile, Yewale had also sent someone to retrieve Mahangde’s hall ticket, pens, and writing pad from his house. “The traffic along the ghat was extremely slow due to ongoing roadwork,” Yewale explained. “There was no way he would have made it in time if he had taken the regular route.”

Speaking about the viral video of the incident, Satara Superintendent of Police Samir Shaikh said, “Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar are popular tourist destinations, so traffic congestion in the ghat section is common. However, during that period, there was no extraordinary traffic delay.”

He assured that traffic police are deployed year-round to ensure smooth movement. “We make sure vehicles don’t get stuck unnecessarily, and roads remain navigable,” he added.

The video of Mahangde’s paragliding escape went viral on social media, sparking amusement and admiration for his quick thinking. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “I will definitely keep better track of my exam schedule from now on.”