Challenging men to dare
Krishna Kumar V.R.

SWEAT drips from Chandan’s temples as he struggles to get a grip. "Lay stress on your right leg and move up," shouts the instructor. Chandan is hanging precariously on a rope and climbing a mountain. "Try to get hold," thunders the instructor again. Eventually, Chandan makes it to the mountain top!

Thousands of young adventurists like Chandan come from all over the country to receive training at the Manali Mountaineering Institute (officially called the Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports) every year. The institute is 3 km from the main bazaar of Manali.

Nestled in scenic surroundings, this institute was established in 1961. Every year, this institute trains hundreds of adventurists in sports like rafting, skiing and mountaineering. The institute boasts of producing five Mount Everest conquerors, among whom were three women.

Over the years the institute has become a popular destination for a large number of youngsters who desire to join the defence services. Says Mahavir Thakur, senior mountaineering instructor, "Most of the students who join our institute want to get into the defence forces. And our courses help in overall personality development and endurance building."

Besides training defence service aspirants, the institution also helps create employment opportunities in adventure tourism.

Prem Barbohp, for instance, after taking a course at the institute, is managing his travel and adventure agency in Manali. "The training helped me a lot. Although I belong here and have known the mountains well but after doing the course I feel more confident in the tough terrain. Now I offer adventure sports to a large number of foreign tourists seeking adventure in these mountains."

One of the most popular routes to Leh-Ladakh is via Manali. Most of the foreigners coming here to climb the mountains look for trained help.

"I conduct at least three to four expeditions in a season," declares Vijay Boch, who has also done an Advance Mountaineering Course from the institute. "We were trained to climb high, carrying heavy equipment on our shoulders. The experience has been very rewarding for me."

A large number of young people also join the course for the sake of adventure and fun in open, daring environs. "I enjoy lingering in hills rather than in the cricket field," says Kishore, a trainee from Maharashtra.

Of late Kendriya Vidyalaya has also been sending their students for mountain training here. Most of the convent schools in Himachal Pradesh have made it mandatory for Class XII students to take one-month training at the institute. Vidya, a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Delhi, remarks: "I thought it would be easy, but it is really bone-cracking." Kiran, another cadet, undergoing training in mountaineering, maintains: "It is tough, but it is interesting too."

The day here starts at five in the morning with a wake-up call; from six onwards, physical exercise and training begins. "We never pressurise the cadets to do any thing, we only show the way," says Capt Randhir S. Salhuria, Deputy Director of the institute.

Theory classes in map reading and in basic geography are held in the afternoon. The diet of the cadets is monitored and supervised by the instructor.

The institute provides all facilities within the campus: boarding, lodging and medical. "You don’t have to go outside for anything," says Kulbushan Chauhan, skiing instructor. There are two separate hostels for boys and girls — with a capacity of 250 beds in each. Medical help is available round the clock, with special doctors attending in the times of emergency.

A number of courses begin from May onwards. The fee is nominal and seats are limited. Economically weak students residing around Manali are admitted free of cost. The basic pre-requisite is that the candidate should be well-versed in English and Hindi and should have attained the age of 12 years. A few scholarships are available for students of Himachal Pradesh.

"For foreigners the fee is comparatively very cheap, that is why a number of them are coming here", says Capt Randhir. "They (foreigners) have good facilities in their countries, but we have the Himalayas, which is our greatest advantage," proudly asserts Capt Randhir.

The institute gained another feather in its cap when it became the venue for national championship in skiing in 1996 and in 2001. "It was an achievement for us, a sort of mission accomplished," says Capt Randhir.

The institute continues to inspire and impress while promoting adventure activities. Besides individual members, a number of adventure clubs from different parts of the country, including Bangalore and Calcutta, are affiliated to it. They send their members regularly for training.

"The future of the institute and adventurous sports is bright," says Thakur while looking at the rising sun through the windowpane of his office, surrounded by high mountains that challenge men to dare!