The Kozhikode-based One India Kite Team and Incredible India Women’s Kite Team are taking part in four international kite festivals being held in different parts of the country.
Team leader Abdulla Maliyekkal said that the teams will take part in the 30th International Kite Festival in Gujarat from January 8 to 13, the Telangana International Kite Festival that will be held in Hyderabad on January 14 and 15, the Delhi International Kite Festival from January 16 to 17, and the Belgaum International Kite Festival from January 18 to 22.
The festivals are organised by the State governments of Gujarat, Telangana, Delhi and Karnataka in association with India Tourism. Thirty-five international teams and five national teams are taking part in the festivals.
The team members are Sajid Thoppil, Pradeep M.S., Subair Kolakkad, Syam Padman, Hashim, K. Shanavas, K. Shahir, and Mubashir from One India, and Sajna Suraj, Swapna T.V., Nanda S., Sakkya, and Jessy from Incredible India.
The teams will participate in both national and international categories in events such as kite making workshops, kite flying competitions, exhibition of huge kites and competition of sports and stunt kites.
The trump card of One India Kite Team for the year is ‘NASA A.B. Plus’, a Sports Power Kite made locally by Mr. Maliyekkal based on a technology developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States of America.
The kite is just 1,500 grams in weight. The technology is usually used by NASA to control aircraft as they alight on ships.
Mr. Maliyekkal claimed that the technology is used for kites for the first time in India.
