|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trek record The year is set to
bring adventure sports to the forefront with a number of events lined
up,
In the recent years, sports like cricket, tennis and even hockey have been getting extensive media coverage. Sania Mirza's appearance on the international tennis arena and her winning the Hyderabad Open helped to revive interest in the game. Golf, too, hitherto considered a pastime of the old and the retired, is getting popular among the youth. However, adventure and mountaineering have taken a backseat in the fast-changing scenario. Adventure sports have always been regarded as the best character-building activity all over the world. The year 2005 is set to bring adventure to the forefront. The year has more than half a dozen events lined up in the field of adventure. The year will see the revival of mountaineering and tourism meets. These meets, which were started in 1971, were held regularly up to 1993, resulting in the phenomenal growth of Himalayan tourism. The 1973 meet was attended by more than 50 adventure legends. The 2005 meet will be held at Mussoorie. The year will also see the Himalayan Environment Trust (HET) launching yet another project of setting up about 500 adventure and leadership parks in India. Each Parliamentary Constituency has been envisaged to have at least one park. The objective is to bring adventure to the doorstep of the youth and help develop qualities of leadership, teamwork, self-confidence, and mental endurance for their all-round development. The parks will be
inaugurated in New Delhi on May 30 in the presence of Sir Edmund
Hillary, patron of the HET. Maurice Herzog and Junko Tabei will be
among the adventure legends who will attend the launch.
A record number of four Indian expeditions will attempt to climb the Everest this year. These are from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the NCC Ladies Wing, the Border Security Force and the Indian Air Force. The 40th anniversary of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi, is also being celebrated this year. India is also celebrating the golden jubilee of the ascent of Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world. George Band (77), Norman Hardie (76) and Jackson (86), who were members of the successful British team of 1955, have flown in for the celebrations being held by the Himalayan Club. All these events make this year the most outstanding year for adventure in India. However, the crowning event of the year is the 40th anniversary celebration of the first Indian Expedition to reach Everest 1965. This epoch-making expedition, which had put nine Indians atop Everest, set a world record which India held for 17 years. The entire team was conferred upon with Arjuna awards. As many as 11 Padma awards were conferred upon the team which included a Padma Bhushan for the leader. The Prime Minister received the team at the airport. The leader of the team was invited to address Members of both the Houses of Parliament. The comic strips of the expedition were published by The Illustrated Weekly of India in 1970. A revised edition of Indians on Everest, published by Roli Books, giving an account of successful Indian teams to the Everest so far will also be released. (The writer is Chairman, Himalayan
Environment Trust, and lead the Indian Everest Expedition of 1965) |
|||
|
|
|||
