Devi in 1993. Maj. N. Linyu of 60 Parachute Field Hospital is the first female airborne officer who has participated in numerous expeditions in the Himalayas. She summited Everest in May 2012, and is also an accomplished skydiver. Col. J.K. Bajaj, an EME officer serving with the 50th Parachute Brigade, who commanded 2 (Independent) Parachute Field Workshop, became the first Asian to ski to the South Pole with the Overland International Expedition to plant the Indian flag at the South Pole on 17 January 1989. Col. Balwant Sandhu and Col. J.K. Bajaj have commanded the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi. Training On 1 May 1952, a training wing of the Parachute Regiment was formed at Kota under the Brigade of the Guards Training Centre and thus started the direct recruitment and training of recruits for the Parachute Regiment. The regiment started augmenting its strength from 1961. About the same time, in order to ensure a better intake of recruits into the regiment, the raising of a training centre was authorized on 13 March 1963, and the Indian government accorded sanction for raising of an independent training centre. The executive order for raising the Parachute Regiment Training Centre was received on 22 June 1963. The Parachute Regiment Depot and Records was redesignated as the Parachute Regiment Training Centre, then located at Agra Fort. The first batch of recruits from the Rajputana Rifles, Rajput Regiment, Sikh Regiment and Dogra Regiment started arriving in the training battalions located at Kheria Camp On 26 September 1963, the Parachute Regiment training wing at Kota joined the centre. On 5 February 1965, the centre moved to Morar Cantonment, Gwalior. The centre, in addition to conducting training of Parachute Regiment recruits, was also responsible for all parachute training. For this purpose, a Parachute Holding Wing was established on 1 April 1966. The Para Holding Wing was responsible for carrying out basic and reservist training for all active and reservist paratroopers. In wartime, the Para Holding Wing had the added responsibility of providing transit camp facilities for the launching of an airborne operation. On 5 June 1967, the Personal Accounts Office (Other Ranks) of the Parachute Regiment also moved from Mathura to Gwalior. On 2 October 1975, the Parachute Regiment Training Centre, Records and PAO (OR) moved to Agra. On 15 January 1977, the erstwhile Para Holding Wing was disbanded and additional staff and vehicles were authorised