Celebrated each year on December 11, International Mountain Day reminds us all of the magic of the mountains. Though governments refuse to acknowledge the spirit of adventure, the lure of the mountains cannot be ignored
Hyderabad, Dec. 10: Mountains have always lured men. The slow climb to the top and the precarious search for balance on rocky ledges gives an adrenaline rush which no other experience can match.
But apart from a few adventurous souls, not many sports enthusiasts have actively taken to mountaineering in the state.
Even as the world observes the International Mountain Day on December 11, a few autonomous organisations in the state are trying to keep the spirit of the sport alive.
The first such organisation in the state, the Adventure Club of AP (Acap), began offering training courses in mountaineering, rock climbing, and rappelling in 1992.
"The basic mountaineering course is 28 days long and those who clear it with an A grade are eligible for the advanced course," said the Acap founder director, Mr K. Ranga Rao.
Beyond the obvious thrill, adventure sports also boost the confidence levels.
R. Swathi, an NCC air-wing cadet, said, "It gives courage to face any daunting task in life." M.B. Sudheer, a B.Tech graduate said, "The mountaineering training helped me gain a lot of confidence."
R. Naveen Kumar is another adventure enthusiast who trains youngsters. "Climbing demands fitness and mental strength," he said.
Many youngsters are also showing interest in mountaineering and adventure sports. The Adventure Tourism Activity Promoters Club, led by Hari Charan and Rishi Charan Singh, organises adventure trips for school and college students.
In 2005, the duo launched an organisation called Wild Woods, which offers trekking and rock climbing packages during weekends for corporates.
Around seven adventure events are be clubbed in a two day package.
Other tour operators also provide adventure tour packages, but most of them seek the support of the Acap or Wild Woods.
Though autonomous organisations are trying to keep the spirit alive, the state government has done nothing to encourage adventure sports.
A proposal for setting up a State Academy of Adventure was mooted in 1992. It was sanctioned in 1997, but nothing happened after that.
In fact, the the Union minister of youth affairs released Rs 7.5 lakh to the state for the initiative, but now the state government is tight-lipped as to where the money went.
Finally, in 2000, a namesake Academy of Adventure was registered but it remained non-functional.
Later, in August, 2004, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, unveiled a youth policy, which envisaged the setting up of a State Academy of Adventure to promote adventure sports. This project too was a non-starter.
No comments:
Post a Comment