Millicent Simonics, FEO, June 11, 2026, Volume 7, Issue 20
Fort Erie’s own local urgent clinic care physician, Dr. Artaj Singh, is a friendly face with calm, clinical expertise. As the Lead Physician at Primary Care Niagara, he has spent over thirty years navigating the complexities of human health and coordinating access to medical care for underserved communities through international service.
However, there is more to Dr. Singh than his stethoscope. Dr. Singh is a man of remarkable depth, and his life is defined by what he calls “calculated risk,” a philosophy that led him to step out of an aircraft at 42,917 feet in September 2025 to set an unofficial Guinness World Record for the highest tandem parachute jump.
His journey to the stratosphere began with a moment of pure spontaneity. While on a trip to Namibia in early 2025, Dr. Singh decided on a whim to try skydiving, saying, “I didn’t even tell my wife.”
Dr. Singh and his wife are no strangers to flying, as both have experience in the air. “When we moved to the US, we were starting a practice, and there was an airport 2 or 3 miles away, so my wife and I were both taking pilot lessons. I went on to get my Instrument Rating, and she went on to become a Private Pilot.” As such, his wife’s support came naturally.
His new passion flourished, propelling him to greater heights and ambitions. He tried skydiving again in Mauritius, then realized his progression was leading toward a singular goal. He often remarks that all roads lead to Tennessee, the ultimate playground for skydiving, thanks to its specialized infrastructure. It was here that Dr. Singh made his record-breaking attempt.
The transition from a spontaneous jumper to a world-record holder required a level of discipline that mirrored Dr. Singh’s medical training. He enlisted an ex-military crew to oversee the logistics of the jump, ensuring that every detail, from airspace clearance to equipment integrity, was handled with absolute precision.
The dive took place on Saturday, September 13, 2025, with assistance from pilot Mike Mullins and tandem instructor Thomas Oquinns. To mitigate the physiological risks of the thin atmosphere, the team spent an hour breathing 100 percent oxygen before the flight to saturate their lungs and prevent decompression sickness.
During the ascent and subsequent free-fall, Dr. Singh wore seven separate sensors on his gear, providing the rigorous data required by Guinness to verify the historic altitude and speed. Dr. Singh recalls that at the peak of his jump, the sheer scale of the world left the greatest impression, noting that the view struck him profoundly because he could clearly see the curvature of the Earth.
When not jumping out of aircraft at extreme altitudes, Dr. Singh likes to travel the world, having visited around 60 countries. “I’ve done international travel, adventure travel – finding some of the prettiest places on this planet and going and spending time there. That has been a passion.”
His most significant medical work includes travelling across Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, India, and South Africa. His work began with short clinical trips. However, during this time, Dr. Singh found the work had limitations. “We started going out on 2-to-3-week trips, and we found that it was really suboptimal in terms of our skillset. You don’t speak the language. You’re not on the ground very long. You see a lot but don’t [get to] do follow-up.”
This inspired him, along with his acquaintance Tim Windsor, to create the charity ‘Initiative 360 – Take It Global’. “We stepped back and said a better, higher use of our skill set is to find key, qualified people on the ground who are there 24/7, who understand the diseases, and who are there for follow-up and continuity of care. We worked to figure out how to empower them and make them more effective. We started supplying medications, equipment, and training to them.”
Through this charity, Dr. Singh, with the help of Dr. Stephen Foster, provided medical supplies and equipment, training, and infrastructure improvements to support long-term stability at CEML Hospital in Angola. “We built a new high-risk neonatal ICU in Angola. We refurbished an endoscopy suite at the same hospital. The hospital lacked a water supply, so we helped them build a 10,000-gallon water tower.”
In his spare time, Dr. Singh finds balance in the quiet, tactile world of woodworking. As an avid wood turner, he spends his downtime in his workshop, crafting intricate pieces from exotic woods. According to Singh, “It just uses a different part of my brain and creativity. You get into the shop and get lost in the work, solving different kinds of problems and working with your hands. It’s been challenging. I am on a significant learning curve.”
Dr. Singh’s story is a testament to the fact that the professionals serving the Niagara region are often driven by an extraordinary sense of purpose. Whether he is seeing patients at the urgent care clinic, shaping a piece of wood in his workshop, or falling through the stratosphere, he remains focused on his pursuits. “I love doing medicine. That’s my passion. We’re very busy, and that’s my main focus here in Fort Erie. It has been very stimulating and rewarding.”
