IMF and Khalsa College hosted 1st National seminar on Adventure Sports

Mayank Singh

New Delhi, 21 May: The country’s first seminar on Adventure sports on Youth and Nation Building: The Way Forward’ , was being organized on the eve of the Golden Jubilee of India’s First successful summit of Mont Everest on the May 20, 1965. The galaxy of country’s ace mountaineers got together in SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, to commemorate this epochal achievement and to discuss that in what way can Adventure training be used to train the youth and the public to not just act as the first responder in the situation of any calamity which the country faces. The seminar was presided over by the President of Indian Mountaineering Foundation, Colonel HS Chauhan (Retd) and Principal of the SGTB Khalsa College,Dr Jaswinder Singh. The chief guest was former Member of Parliament, S.Tarlochan Singh.

The members of the 1965 summit team were felicitated by the dignitaries. They shared their experience with the audience and said that adventure sports have been mark of every developed country. Legendary Mountaineer Colonel N Kumar, on whose name is Siachen’s Base Camp, said it is nice that this commemoration is being done in presence of such a large number of youth. The team members of the legendary 1965 who were felicitated were Colonel N Kumar (Retd), CP Vohra, Sonam Wangyal, GS Bang, Brg. Mulk Raj (Retd). The next of kin of the team were also felicitated. On this occasion a special issue on Adventure Sports was brought up by ‘Sports Kreeda’ which was released by chief guest. 

In the last few years country has been lashed by natural calamities which include the tsunami, flash-floods and land slide in Uttarakhand and Sikkim and floods in Laddakh. Although government with the support of the military and the paramilitary has been helping the people it is not enough as it requires the support of the public and preparations on ground.The President of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, Colonel (Retd) H S Chauhan, said, “IMF is ready to create a module which can be implemented right from the Panchayat level to the district level and finally a national pool will be created.” He added that in case of any calamity or disaster people will be trained to be the first responder thus minimizing the number of deaths which we have been seeing in the past. 

The chief guest at the seminar, Tarlochan Singh said that we should promote adventure sports amongst the youth of the country which will promote spirit of risk taking and leadership qualities. Dr Jaswinder Singh, Principal SGTB Khalsa College, said that it is high time that we should include adventure sports in the University curriculum and the children be given marks as like other subjects. 

Major Ranveer Singh Jamwal said that in case of a calamity instant decision making is required and adventure training shapes a person to be ready for any such unfortunate event. This will train young minds to rise up to support their other unfortunate countrymen in the event of any need. Major Jamwal was leading Indian Army’s Everest expedition which was hit by earthquake at the Everest Base Camp in Nepal. He and his team were hit by the avalanche but they helped the other mountaineers in the true tradition of the Indian Army.

In the first technical session on ‘Adventure and Youth’ Major General C. Prakash

(Additional DirectorGeneral of the National Cadet Corps),Anurag Bhadoria

(Adviser,Sports, Govt of UP), Hargur Jaggi ( para-athlete), Reena Dharamshaktu (First Indian women to Ski to South Pole),Dr Jaswinder Singh were the panellists .The session was moderated by Dr R P Singh.

The second session was focused on ‘Adventure Training & Disaster Preparedness ’. Colonel Gulshan Chaddha(Principal of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute),Mr Bhushan Poshe(MD ALLIED INDIA LTD.) and Major Ranveer Singh Jamwal were the panalists. Sqn. Leader Bhawna Mehra moderated the session. Dr Smita Mishra conducted the program. Wing Commander S.K Kutty gave vote of thanks. The conceptualizers  of the seminar, Defence Journalist Mayank Singh,Group Captain Sandeep Mehta and College Organizing committee members-Dr P Arun,Dharmendra Kumar and Dr Kuldeep Kumar  presented the souvenirs to panalists .The centre of attractions was Wall Climbing and Rappling activities which were enjoyed by attendees.