India is home to 300 plus active kite flyers, inform representative of Royal Kite Flying Club

Hyderabad, January 12, 2017: Hyderabad is the host to several Professional Kite Flyers. Nearly 70 kite flyers both from abroad and India have reached Hyderabad to participate in the Kite 2017, Telangana State's 2nd International Kite Festival to be held from January 12 to 17th in Hyderabad.

Telangana Tourism and Incredible India have joined hands with Hyderabad-based Aga Khan Academy to host this event at the sprawling 100 acre campus of Aga Khan Academy which is situated near Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in the outskirts near Shamshabad.

The major attraction is “Remote Controlled kites”, which will be flown for the first time in India.

Besides the RC Kite(Remote Controlled Kite), Widow Kite which is also called a Miniature Kite will be flown during the festival.

There is a train kite, which has 100 kites joined in a row and flown as one single kite. Flying a kite train is a unique and exhilarating activity. The biggest ever Train Kite i have witnessed was during Common Wealth Games in Delhi. It had 1000 kites, informed Akash, a sports kite flyer from Ahmedabad.

You don’t have to be a kite-enthusiast to love our kite trains. Train Kite has an excellent display in the sky. The kite-trains easily attract eyes and cameras. The sense of their gentle pull and the cascading effect of your hand’s movements on the entire train are unique. Whether at the beach, on the banks of Hussain Sagar Lake or in a park or Academy like Aga Khan, they win the hearts of the passersby who gather to enjoy its beautiful dance.

The good news is that kite-trains are extremely easy to fly informed Muniraju S; Thulasi Mahesh K and Prasanna K S from Dodbalpur, Karnataka. They were busy flying the kites at Aga Khan Academy on Thursday morning.

Kevin Sanders from Australia was seen flying a Dragon Kite, which he prepared himself. The 58years old former IT System Administrator is now semi-retired. And dedicates his full time for kite flying. He travels all over the world. He participates in nearly 50 to 60 Kite Flying Festivals held all over the world, more so in Asian Countries. Kite was origniated in China and is very popular in Asian countries, he informed.

My girl friend has introduced me to kite flying. Since then, for the last 25 years i have been flying kites, he informed. This is my second visit to India. There are nearly 200 professional kite flyers all over the world. But, nearly 1000 are active kite flyers. I have read books, tried to make kites on my own. Now i made many types of kites, he disclosed.

Mr. Andrew Martin Beattie and Ms. Kathleen Beattie the two member Scotland team said they are happy to be in India. Andrew informed that he started kite flying as a teenager. Kathleen started in the year 2000. Kathleen is travelled first time to India. Andrew was here before.

"It is more fun than my previous job, working with computers all day, " Andrew informed. They have participated in so many kite festivals that they have lost count. "I went to Kuwait 3 times, China 3 times, Dubai, Finland, Estonia, Poland, France, Northern and Southern Ireland and many events in Scotland and England " informed Andrew.

Andrew informs that he helped the Al-Farsi team to break the record for the largest kite flown. "I was the first person to do more than 60mph in a kite buggy and have more trophies and awards for performances at kite festivals than I have room to display. However, i am not motivated by awards but rather from the joy in people's faces ," Andrew says. They brought with them 30m gecko and a 30m Manta Ray. " This is our first trip to Hyderabad. We look forward to sharing our kites with you, " says Andrew.

There is a sports kite, which looks like a snake. This is also called a fighter kite, informs Akash, whose father Mr. Pawan Solanki is also a kite flyer. Then there is kite which produces noise. It has 70 feet tail.

Another unique kite is a Quard Kite which has four strings. Only ten people in India fly this kite. I have just learnt to fly this, informed Akash. There are other varieties also. Flight Kite and Inflatable kite. Some of them you get to witness during this festival, Akash added.

Indoor kite is one such a kite which is flown without air, informed Akash. Kite Sport is one type of exercise. It is my hobby, informs Akash.

India is home to nearly 300 active kite flyers of which 70 plus are professional kite flyers, informed a representative from Royal Kite Flying Club. India has several Kite Flying Clubs. Some of them who are participating in the festival include: Royal Kite Flying Club from Ahmedabad; Orange City Kite Flying Club from Nagpur; Anand Kite Club from Rajkot; DJ Kite Club from Vadodara and Jeem Kite Club from Ahmedabad.