Marathon followed by a skydive, 77-year-old army veteran completes double adventure in Siberia

admin — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:09:00 +0000

Lt. Col. O.P.N. Kalyan (Retd.)
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

A 77-year-old Bengaluru-based Indian Army veteran particpated in the XXXVI Siberian International Marathon at Omsk, Russia.

Lt. Col. O.P.N. Kalyan (retd.), a retired Army Service Corps officer, completed a 10-km run in the marathon on August 1. Around 6,190 runners took part in the event, with only four foreign participants — two from Kenya, one from Ethiopia and Lt. Col. Kalyan representing India.

Emotional moment

“It was a proud and emotional moment for me to participate in the Siberian marathon and represent India. It had been my lifetime dream to run in Siberia, and finally, at the age of 77, I was able to accomplish it,” he said.

The next day on August 2, he took to the skies again, completing a tandem skydive from an altitude of 3,000 metres over Omsk.

The veteran undertook a tandem skydiving jump at the Omsk Aviation Sports Club of DOSAAF, Russia.

Jumping from approximately 3,000 metres, he experienced around 40 seconds of freefall at nearly 200 kmph before the parachute opened at about 1,700 metres. The jump ended with a smooth and safe landing.

“It was a wonderful and thrilling jump over Siberia. The freefall was an unforgettable experience,” said Lt. Col. Kalyan who was also a paratrooper during his stint in the Indian Army.

He added that there was little time for rest after the marathon and that accomplishing the two feats were a fulfilment of a lifetime dream.

Earlier adventure

The veteran is no stranger to adventures, having participated in expeditions to the North Pole and the Arctic last year, during which he also undertook a Polar Plunge in the Arctic Ocean.

One year prior to this, he took a Polar plunge in the Southern Sea in Antarctica.

Lt. Col. Kalyan studied at King George’s School in Bengaluru, now Rashtriya Military School, before being commissioned into the Army Service Corps in 1969.

Published – August 11, 2026 09:09 pm IST

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Who Is Col Waibhav Anil Kale, Ex-Indian Army Officer Killed In Gaza

admin — Wed, 15 May 2024 05:00:06 +0000

Col Waibhav Anil Kale spent over two decades in the armed forces.

Col Waibhav Anil Kale (Retd), the Indian national who was working with the United Nations (UN) as a security service coordinator, was killed after the vehicle he was travelling in came under attack in Gaza’s Rafah region. Col Kale’s killing marks the UN’s first international casualty since the Israel-Hamas conflict began last year.

The UN and Israel have both called for investigations into the incident. Col Kale, who retired from the Indian Army in 2022, is survived by his wife Amruta and two teenage children, son Vedant and daughter Radhika.

Here are some facts about Col Waibhav Anil Kale

1. Col Waibhav Anil Kale, 46, spent over two decades in the armed forces. He came from a family dedicated to military service, with his brother, Group Captain Vishal Kale, serving in the Indian Air Force, his cousin Colonel Amey Kale in the army, and his brother-in-law, Wing Commander Prasant Karde (Retd).

2. Col Kale was from Nagpur and he studied at the Somalwar high school. He later got a BA degree in Humanities from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, before getting a Diploma of Education in Senior Defense Management from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore, as per his LinkedIn.

3. In 2009, he completed a Certificate Program in International Humanitarian Law from the International Red Cross. In 2012, he finished another Certificate Program in Behavioural Science from the Indian Institute of National Integration.

4. Col Waibhav Anil Kale joined the Indian Army in 1998. He commanded the 11 JAK Rifles in Kashmir, served as an instructor at the army’s Infantry School in Mhow, operated in the northeast and the Siachen glacier, and actively engaged in counterintelligence and counterterrorism operations. He held various positions, including Battalion Commander and Rifle Company Commander, in the Indian Army. Col Kale retired from the Army permanently in 2022.