Meet Syam, who skydived into world record by fighting physical disabilities

Thiruvananthapuram: Syamkumar hardly had the will to live when he returned from the hospital to his small home at Kulathummal near Kattakada, after his 16^th surgery. He even contemplated taking his own life by jumping off a building. But, his quest for tall structures inspired him to live and even led him to an incredible world record. The 23-year-old is the youngest in the world to successfully skydive solo from an altitude of 13,000 feet with a prosthetic leg. He is also the youngest in the world, with a prosthetic leg, to acquire a paragliding pilot’s license. Born in Thiruvananthapuram to Sreekumar, who worked as a daily wage labourer and Saralakumari, an art teacher, Syam has been suffering from severe health issues since childhood. He was born with his right leg stuck to his back. Besides, he had a curved spine and problems in the urinary tract too. Syam underwent his first surgery, 19 days after he was born. Two months later, surgery was done on his leg that was stuck to his body. Besides, there were many more surgeries to repair his urinary tract.

Syam recalls that his childhood wasn’t easy. Saralakumari had to carry him until he was eight years old. It was Syam himself who took the bold decision to amputate his leg to relieve his mother. But, he continued his fight, with the help of a prosthetic leg. He soon learned cycling and mountaineering and conditioned his body with regular workouts. His confidence was short-lived as he soon got diagnosed with kidney failure. A transplant was the only option to save his life. In 2022, he underwent a transplant surgery with his mother as the donor. It was after this surgery that Syam got interested in skydiving. After trying hard, he got the opportunity to train under Thailand native Andy Pine. He had six practice jumps during his training period. However, his leg got stuck in the parachute on his third jump. But, Syam’s great presence of mind helped him untangle the parachute and save his life. This jump helped him get into the International Book of Records. Meanwhile, Syam aims to create another record by skydiving from an altitude of 42,000 feet.