Camping Expedition

Tirthan Valley at the Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh, India

The beauty of this place will just mesmerise any trekking enthusiast and it is simply breathtaking.

Forty-five Bronze and Silver participants of Bawa Lalvani Public School, Kapurthala (Punjab) accompanied by five mentors trekked to the Great Himalayan National Park from 31st March to 6th April 2017.

The entire trek was really beautiful and serene. Close to the base Camp Himalayan, the participants experienced the natural beauty of the 'Jhoi' waterfall and trekked and manoeuvred through the crystal clear, flowing River Tirath. The camping experience helped the participants to introspect and develop a perspective to engage in more adventures in the times ahead. Besides trekking the participants also did the different Adventurous Journey related activities too. Splashing under the waterfall was a memorable experience for the entire team.

Thanks to the local guide at Camp Himalayan, who arranged a trek to the Jalori Pass through a small village, Banjar, inhabited by very friendly and courteous folks. This pass is situated at a height of 10,575 feet. Trekking on this beautiful trail led to the mesmerising places like Shoja, Serolsar lake, Sakiran Lambri and the Great Himalayan National Park! Click here for the pictures

The Award transformed me

Juzer A Shaikhally

Looking Looking back to year 1976…. the first time my class ever heard of the name DEAS, when Cdr T. Almedia came to our school to present the Award Programme. Even though I was in the Scouts and member of the School Mountaineering Club, the reason I joined was the aspect of self-motivation of the Programme and Adventurous Journey. My Award Journey was from 1976 to 1979 where I made new friends and completed my Bronze, Silver and Gold. Undertaking the various sections during my Award journey helped me in many ways in looking at the same problem with different angles. The Social Service section helped me to give my spare time to others in society and even today, when time permits, I do help out with the programme Teach India. The Adventurous Journey section got me out from my inner self. This section, during my time, was the most sought after section. It did make one realise their true motivation and the limits one can go to. At all three levels we had to cook all meals and I have had the pleasure of moving around Maharashtra in the interior regions too.

Marksmanship as my Skill taught me to be cool, calm, patient… I was really happy that finally I could make it to the All India Shooting Competition level. The Physical Recreation session under the Physical Efficiency Test would bring all boys in the Award Pogramme every Friday evening, which we looked forward to. Residential Qualification was really the turning point where I met different people from Maharashtra staying together for a period of 5 days and undertaking the cleaning  of our Award Campsite at Matheran.

Even though I did follow in my Dad’s footsteps by joining him in business, my lust for the outdoor, which I had developed through the Award Programme, made me start an Adventure Company with my friend as partner; this later became a proprietary concern and at present, for the past two years, I am affiliated with Adventure Tours firm in Mumbai as an Adventure Programme Manager handling more than 750 schools in India. Having gone through the Award programme in many stages as a Volunteer, Asst. Regional Officer, Award Leader, on the Committee of the GAHS, West Zone Award Authority, it has given me great satisfaction that I have helped many young people going through the Award Programme and helped change their lives. Many still do call me up and even come to meet me whenever they are in town. Our Gold Batch of 1979 does still meet at least twice a year and we look back to our golden years that we all spent together while participating in the Award Programme.

Yes it has given me the bread and butter in my life, maybe I am a changed person and I do wonder if I had not undergone the Award Programme, would I still be out in the Nature, Wild... always making new friends every week… or… sitting behind a desk doing a normal 9 to 5 job… Yes I do have a lot to pen down… it did bring back memories and tears… even the first International Walsall UK Exchange in the year 1980/1981…. I am in touch with my friends from Walsall…..

Yes the Award has transformed me from the quiet, shy boy I was in school, to who I am in the present.

A great experience, etched in our memories forever!

Sixteen Gold Award participants accompanied by two mentors went for a 5-day Residential Project to Shuklapur from 26th to 30th September 2016. The project involved constructing of two bio gas plants and exposure to the farm life of the villagers in Shuklapur village. Vinayak Agarwal, a Gold Award participant sharing his experience with us.

“Over the next five days, you will undergo pressure and not the laid-back physical attitude which a layman can withstand, but one which will strain you and engross your minds to an unimaginable extent.” This was our seemingly peculiar introduction to the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO). The following five days, our two mentor teachers Mr. R. Srikanth and Mr. P. Chaturvedi and we, experienced the substantiation of the aforementioned statements.

The first day we had an introduction to the Padma Shri Awardee Mr. Anil Prakash Joshi, in which he expressed his dissatisfaction about the way developed or developing countries were striving for economic prowess, notwithstanding the fact that the very foundation on which all of their economics lies, is agriculture. India, despite being an agrarian society, had turned oblivious to its invaluable backbone, he said, and with this, we strive to do much more than any other could have, in the given time frame.

On our tour of the Isotope Hydrology Centre and HESCO, we came across a multitude of attention-grabbing things but all of them seem to diminish compared to what lay ahead. The task at hand was to construct two bio gas tanks. All we had was some basic tools and two experienced guides. On arrival at the village, which we had reached scurrying past lush meadows, we were greeted by the warmhearted residents. The task unpredictably turned out to be a very meticulous one, for it required the holes, drills, and cuts to be made at precise locations, which if dealt carelessly, could result in the wastage of two precious resources -- time and money. This tank would be utilized by the villages for household work, such as using the gas in stoves instead of LPG. The tank puts to use the otherwise wasted organic material and slurry and, over a period of days, turns it into bio gas. Through means of anaerobic fermentation, in a sealed enclosure, the methane gas is produced. What’s more is that the remnants in the tank can be used as organic manure. Two of these particular constructions were done within two days, discounting the request of our guides to ‘go slow’. The remaining task now was basic manual work related to agriculture. However, on ground, the work was physically excruciating, to say the least. Nonetheless, with the division of work among 16 Award participants, four pastures were converted into garden farms, which were to be utilized by the villages to grow subsistence for their daily needs.

All through this, we had lively interactions with the villagers through which we got to know a lot about life in a village. The ever so welcome attitude of theirs, not to mention the food back at the camp, had made us feel at home. Moreover, the team at HESCO with their heart-warming approach and far reaching outlook gave us a sense of satisfaction, for it was because of such people that one could have an experience so great that it is worth being etched in our memories forever.

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

The International Award for Young People, India organized an Award Leader training workshop at Pawar Public School, Pune on 07 - 08 December 2016.

The two-day workshop was attended by 12 participants from different institutions including Pawar Public School, Pune; Sanjay Ghodawat International School, Kolhapur; Pawar Public School, Kandivali; Sanjeevan Public Shool, Kolhapur and Symbiosis International School, Pune.

The workshop began with an ice-breaking session where the participants introduced themselves and shared their expectations from the workshop. This was followed by an introduction to the Award, and sessions on its philosophy, framework and benefits. The participants were given in-depth knowledge regarding the four Sections of the Programme, i.e. Skills, Service, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey along with the Residential Project for the Gold Level. The training team also made them familiar with other important aspects related to the Programme, which included Risk Management, Online Record Book, Benefits of Award and Brand Pack.

The workshop was led by Kapil Bhalla (National Director) and Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager). The workshop included interactive and fun sessions to engage with the Award Leaders.

Beauty Away from the Metropolis

Aakashi Kotoky, Gold Award holder from Maria’s Public School, Guwahati is sharing her Residential Project experience.

For my Residential Project I went to Sakunabari, a village that is located near Sonapur on the way to Nagaon, Assam, for 5 days and 6 nights. During this period I stayed in a small household consisting of four family members who welcomed me with open arms.

During the period of my stay, I visited different households and asked various questions relating to the daily lives of the family members. The daily life in a village is very tough; it starts very early in the morning as the full advantage has to be taken of daylight before darkness descends. While I was there, the heads of the families were preoccupied with different agricultural activities for the next agricultural year and hence they could not give me the time to the extent I desired. Nevertheless, I managed to collect valuable information on the pros and cons of life in a village.

Their current problems include lack of medical facilities, a school quite far away, irregular supply of electricity, and the absence of clean drinking water, besides the lack of suitable transport facilities. While living with the family I learnt many new things and tried to adapt myself to the village life. It was my first time to visit an unknown place and live with unknown people for a few days. The experience that I got can never be completed while living in the cities. At first, I thought that it would be quite difficult to live among strangers, but it proved to be wrong. The experience that I gathered and the knowledge that I could receive from the members of the family will help me go a long way throughout my life.

While interacting with the village folk I was pleasantly surprised to observe that even in the absence of basic amenities the residents appeared to be quite happy compared to their urban counterparts. To my mind, this may be attributed to the absence of any form of pollution, a constant touch with nature, a uniform standard of living and a spontaneous desire to be involved in community welfare.

During my visit to this village, the female members of the house gave me valuable tips on the art of making pithas, laroos and other traditional Assamese delicacies. Being farmers predominantly, they had access to vast areas of land on which they raised various crops as well as domestic animals such as cows, goats, pigs and birds. The most interesting aspect of my visit was the greenhouse, where various ornamental plants and flowers were grown, most of which was sold in the nearby market at nominal prices. I gave them some advice on marketing methods such as growing hybrid plants, the use of manure for healthier growth and the arrangement of flowers to make attractive bouquets with a view to obtaining a higher price for their labour. I must confess that my brief visit was an eye opener to the horizons of rural life and my interactions with these simple people and my experiences will remain etched forever in my memory.

I sincerely thank IAYP for giving me this opportunity to explore myself better, as through this Residential Project I have learned to adapt to unknown conditions and find out new ways of survival while being away from the comforts of my regular life .This programme also opened new horizons for me to polish my skills with confidence.

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

The International Award for Young People, India organized an Award Leader training workshop at Award Training Centre, New Delhi on 17th - 18th November, 2016.

The two-day workshop was attended by 9 participants from different institutions across India, including Rungta Int School, Raipur; Jharkhand Gorkha Sangathan, Ranchi; Les Elfes International Camps, New Delhi; Vidya Sanskar International School, Faridabad; Amity International School, Pushp Vihar, New Delhi, Mount Carmel School, Dwarka, New Delhi and a volunteer from NAA Office.

The workshop began with an ice-breaking session where the participants introduced themselves and shared their expectations from the workshop. This was followed by an introduction to the Award, and sessions on its philosophy, framework, benefits of the Award and how a volunteer can play a crucial role in the Award programme. The participants were given in-depth knowledge regarding the four domains of the programme, i.e. Skills, Service, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey and also the Residential Project for the Gold Level. The training team also made them familiar with other important aspects related to the Programme, which included Risk Management, Online Record Book, Benefits of Award and Brand Pack.

The workshop was led by Kapil Bhalla (National Director), Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager) and Ankit Durga (Youth Representative, IGE). The workshop included interactive and fun sessions to engage with the Award Leaders. Click here for the pictures

Never Give Up, The Award Taught Me

My name is Kankana Hambir. I am a Gold Award holder of the International Award for Young People. If you ask about my IAYP journey, I would say it was incredible!

This journey made me steady, confident and optimistic towards my life. I observed people from different walks of society, learnt and shared their experiences, which ultimately enriched my life in many ways. Through my internship programme I explored my own potential and efficiency. The Award Programme taught me how to make decisions, guided me to choose between good and bad, and also helped to make good friends whom I can trust with my life. Working as an intern made me more confident and sincere towards my life. Actually it shaped my life. I am truly grateful to this Programme. It changed my life entirely. I have forged so many good memories that I will cherish throughout my life, leaving the negative ones.

During my Silver Award journey my experience with Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission for Blind Boys was extraordinary. In Susunia hills, Bankura, I volunteered with them during the activities of our Adventurous Journey and was surprised to see their special abilities. They were fearless in their tasks, which we could not have done even though we have all the right abilities. This not only astonished me but also motivated me a lot. With all the senses we are often disabled, but they are not. Because seeing makes us more sensible and agile and also nervous but they were fantastic by not seeing anything, just feeling everything. It was a marvellous and unique experience for me and also for my fellow Awardees. In this way I learnt and I am still learning. My learning will continue with me as long as I live. And I believe that would be the ultimate tribute towards the IAYP and that is what I learnt all these years, that “we must never give up on ourselves”.

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

The International Award for Young People, India organized an Award Leader training workshop at Award Training Centre, New Delhi on 20th - 21st October, 2016.

The two-day workshop was attended by 14 participants from different institutions across India, including Homerton Grammar School, Faridabad (Haryana); Saffron City School, Phagwara (Punjab); Lady Bamford Charitable Trust, Ballabhgarh (Haryana); Billabong High International School, Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh); Vidyasagar School, Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Amity Global School, Noida (Uttar Pradesh).

The workshop began with an ice-breaking session where the participants introduced themselves and shared their expectations from the workshop. This was followed by an introduction to the Award, and sessions on its philosophy, framework, benefits of the Award and how a volunteer can play a crucial role in the Award programme. The participants were given in-depth knowledge regarding the four domains of the programme, i.e. Skills, Service, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey and also the Residential Project for the Gold Level. The training team also made them familiar with other important aspects related to the Programme, which included Risk Management, Online Record Book and Brand Pack.

The workshop was led by Kapil Bhalla (National Director), Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager) and Pratibha Kumari Singh (Member, National Training Panel). The workshop included interactive and fun sessions to engage with the Award Leaders. Click here for the pictures

We truly discovered ourselves during this Adventurous Journey

Yashvi Agarwal, Bronze level participant from Modern High School for Girls’, Kolkata sharing her Adventurous Journey experiences with us.

With hearts full of enthusiasm and curiosity, forty nine girls from the IAYP Unit boarded the buses to set out for ‘Panchalingeshwar’ in the afternoon of 29th September, 2016. Panchalingeshwar happens to be located on the Eastern Ghats, Nilagiris to be precise. Located at a distance of 30km from Balasore in Orissa, its main claim to fame is the temple atop a hill that enshrines five Shivalingas.

Our training began early. Our very first session with Mr Mukhoty, the IAYP Programme Manager was a briefing on ‘Understanding Adventure’ and ‘Route Planning’. We learnt that self-discovery and acclimatization were the two most important aspects of adventure. This was followed by ‘The 6 km Trek’. It was quite an experience because the previous night, a herd of wild elephants had traversed the same path, leaving behind large footprints which were converted into small puddles due to the rain. The outskirts of the Singhbhum District was the end point of out trek. It was a place which had a small lake with a 20ft submerged temple built by Raja Singhavarma. This was located in the Buffer Zone of the forest of Simplipal- one of the seven tiger reserves in India. Mr Mukhoty also told us about the three most important things required for survival on a camp- food, shelter and fire. We acquired essential information about the varying types of shelters, tents and other requirements. After this each of us took active part in pitching tents which brought a feel of self satisfaction. We were then briefed on the different kinds of ropes and knots, and about the various equipments mainly throwing light on carabiners, zummers, descendeurs and pulleys. We ended our day with a session on First Aid, where we were taught that first aid was providing scientific aid to a medical victim.

The next day, we had to abstain from our daily morning activities due to heavy rain. We started our day with an interesting session on the Camping Code which included mountain manners, hut manners, etc. We learnt how important it was to respect the culture and customs of the local people of a place. This was followed by another session on the demonstration of all the important knots we had learnt about. Then we were engaged in an exciting activity- Zummering. It was an interesting experience as it was something new for most of us. Right after lunch we set out for another activity- Rappelling, some distance away from our guest house. A short session on maps and orientation was conducted before our thrilling experience of rappelling. This was followed by the camp night. We danced, we sang, we laughed, to sum up we had a gala time.

On the final morning of this very short expedition, we trekked some distance to visit the Panchalingeshwar Temple. We were told all about the beauty of the Simlipal Forest which was right next to the temple. Very soon, we headed back to the camp and having had our lunch we were ready to leave for Kolkata. Just as all good things come to an end, our camp was no exception, but I can very confidently say that we left Panchalingeshwar with memories and valuable lessons that would stay with us for a lifetime and a half. We learnt things that would help us in the future for situations we might unexpectedly encounter. We truly discovered ourselves on this journey. Thanks to all the teachers and Award Leaders who accompanied us. This trip was one of the most memorable experiences that we ever had. Click here for more pictures

Thank You Award for Making Me so Confident!

Gold Award Holder Anupama Das from Sri Sarada Math, Kolkata, is sharing her life transforming experience with us.

I have been associated with the Award Programme since June 2012 at Sri Sarada Math-Rasik Bhita. When I started my Award journey I was physically unfit and was very worried about the Adventurous section of the Award. In spite of this, I didn’t lose my confidence and started working hard under the remaining three sections of the Award. Gradually, as I monitored my progress, I started gaining confidence and at last got ready for my first Adventurous Journey at Susunia Hills, Bankura. I live in a small village in the Hooghly District and have never been anywhere outside my village, so, it was for the first time that I came in contact with nature outside my village, and the experience of this journey was such that I would treasure and savour all my life.

In 2015, I completed my Gold Award Journey and received my Gold Award at the Gold Award Ceremony organised at New Delhi. It goes without saying that these three years of my association with the Award not only instilled in me new confidence but also transformed my personality to a larger extent. I now see myself as a confident and assertive individual who can express her self to anyone. Sharing a personal experience from my life here would probably highlight my point better. In my society and village, the act of child marriage is very common. Girls are married at a very early age and as a result, they are not able to continue their studies. I encountered a similar situation in my life when my family forced my elder sister to get married to an unknown individual.

The Award gave me confidence to fight against this social evil and I was able to protest against this incident that was going to happen with my sister. I fought with every member of my family and convinced them to stop this early marriage. At the same time I also took the initiative to find a job for my sister so that she could start earning and begin a new chapter of her life.

It was a dark phase that I had gone through but with courage and confidence I achieved success at last. It was not easy to start a career like other girls of my city. But I am happy to write that my elder sister started working in TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) and this year after completing my graduation I too got placed in TCS. Besides this, I have also been involved with Gender Diversity Empowerment Project as an intern from our village.

I am grateful to my mentors and our Award Leader who have always supported me and encouraged me to overcome difficulties and challenges. Now, I can see transformation taking place in my village. By seeing my journey and success, most of the girls are interested in award Programme and want to continue their studies instead of getting married. I feel immense pride in being a pioneer of this initiative.

While I express my deepest gratitude to the Award, all I could say at the end is thank you Award for making me so confident!

Cultural Heritage Class and Award Ceremony

Sri Sarada Math, Rasik Bhita organised a Cultural Heritage Class on 4th September 2016. Seventy-two Bronze awardees from different units participated in this class. This Cultural Heritage class concluded with an Award ceremony where all the Award participants received their Bronze awards. These Award holders, part of the “Gender Diversity & Empowerment Project" of the IAYP, started their Bronze Award Journey in July 2015 and successfully completed their Award Journey in December 2015. The list of Awardees includes fifty-six participants from Rasik Bhita, nine awardees from Baladbandh Village, three awardees from Kumrogori Village and four awardees from Dum Dum.

These participants opted for different activities in the various sections of the Award. Under the Skills section, they chose activities such as Book reading, Spoken English learning, Jewellery Making, and Stitching. Some of them have now made these skills their Life skills and are now generating revenue by selling handmade goods and handmade jewellery. For their Physical Recreation, they all attended the Yoga Classes. Yoga has become an integral part of their daily routine now.

The awardees of Baladbandh and Kumrogori villages created a positive impact on their society by providing their wonderful Community Services. They went to rural villages to teach adults as well as young children. Most of the women in theses villages can write and sign their names now. It is a credit to these awardees that the numbers of these learners is increasing day by day in these villages.

For the Adventurous Journey, these Awardees went to Bishindha Hills at Bankura and Matha Hills at Purulia. They were taught how to live in a tent, climbing and cooking. They performed various activities like Burma Bridge Crossing, Rappelling, Rope Walking etc. Overall, it was great experiential learning for all of them -- something that they had never done or experienced before. 

All the awardees have now registered and started their work for the Silver Level of the Award with an aim to develop themselves day by day. They are not just improving themselves but helping their surroundings to improve more.

Hello Bhutan!

Rose Goel, a Silver Award participant from Uttam School for Girls, Ghaziabad, shares her experiences of the Adventurous Journey.

The IAYP Adventurous / Exploration journey was an eye opener for us that changed our perspective towards life, culture, happiness, different nations and their uniqueness. Right from planning and preparing for journey, learning team spirit, exploring places, coordinating with mentors and friends, to moving out of comfort zone, overcoming cultural barriers, understanding culture, people and people were some of the things which this journey taught us and thus proved to be an experiential workshop for us.

We were all excited about our Adventurous Journey as we headed for our visit to Bhutan, which came as a surprise during our summer vacations in 2016. From the scorching hot weather of North India we reached Bhutan, a stunning Buddhist country sandwiched between two political giants -- India and China. Our visit to the country offered us a complete get away from our monotonous and stressful lifestyle. It was an exploratory journey where we understood and witnessed what makes the distinctive culture of a nation.

Bhutan,  often considered as an offbeat destination by many, surprises everyone with all that it has to offer. Exemplified as one of the first countries that adopts the concept of Gross National Happiness to measure its growth in terms of happiness quotient, where people’s happiness comes first, and then comes money, was interesting for us to take a note of.

It was encouraging to observe that in spite of being a constitutional monarchy, the people were extremely happy with the government and the king. That was evident from the hospitality of the locals and the playfulness of their young children. Both the rich and the poor enjoy equal status. Even the king of the country does not live in a luxurious palace but a small cottage, just large enough to accommodate his family. The love for The King and the Queen could be spotted everywhere, from tiny frames in shops and houses, to large posters on the roadsides. Unlike other countries, the people of Bhutan seemed to have been less influenced by the west. Their love and respect for their nation, the king and their culture generated reverence in our heart for the people and this nation.

We found that it was a place where the women were not born to be confined to houses but shoulder equal responsibilities as menfolk, be it in big hotels, airports, roadside shops, hospitals or other places. To see this status and regard for women was inspiring for all of us.

Besides rich cultural heritage, the country also boasts of its magical Himalayan kingdom, which is full of greenery, with beautiful landscapes dotted with bright flapping prayers flags and forests cloaked in clouds, thick with the scent of pine, garlanded with peach blossoms and with a remarkable abundance of flora and fauna. This all is a result of strong constitutional obligation and efforts made by the people to preserve and protect the environment, where at least 60% of the land is under forest cover. Added to this, is the fact that Bhutan is the only country in the world that has been declared carbon negative. Like the environment, the Bhutanese people also looked impeccable as they were always dressed in their traditional attire -- Gho for men and Kira for women. They wore it with pride and carried it with style. An important aspect that caught our attention was the use of public transport by people and very few private cars on the road, which resulted in smooth and well managed traffic.

Apart from gathering all this knowledge and observations we also understood that Bhutan is undoubtedly one of the most ethnic travel destinations where everything from the layout of the building to the god figures in monasteries was dictated by traditional Buddhist artworks. Religion pervaded all level of life in Bhutan, resulting in peaceful temples, red robed monks, deities and legends.

Some of the best places visited by us included the Buddha Dordenma Statue located in the capital, Thimphu. A scenic fortress Monastery, Punakha Dzong is framed by the confluence of two rivers and jacaranda trees in Punakha and the iconic Tiger nest monastery with golden pinnacles at its rooftops in Paro.

It goes without saying that the country was truly a slice of Himalayan heaven and was an eye opener for all of us. We realized the importance of contentment in life, how to be happy with simple things and be proud of one’s own culture and heritage. As a token of regard for this visit, we took a pledge to do our duty to protect and conserve the environment and save mother earth. We are extremely happy and grateful to our school and IAYP for giving us this opportunity to have such a wonderful learning experience. To appreciate and regard a nation as an outsider and then to look and admire what makes our country unique and distinctive was something that we all learnt.

IAYP infuses the power to overcome any obstacle that comes in the way

Rupanjan Goswami, an Award Leader from The Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' School, shares his eye opening experiences of working with the visually challenged Awardees.

"If Eric Weinheinmer could do it, so could I," said the completely visually challenged boy Shibnath, standing under a Casuarina tree in his school campus. When Shibnath said this, his face sparkled like the rising sun. "Sightless mountaineer Weinheinmer of U.S.A proved this, reaching the highest peak of the world, that a sightless person has the potentiality and physical and mental strength to achieve such a stupendous feat."

I was spellbound while listening to Shibnath. I had been observing the growth and development of Shibnath for more than a decade. He gained mental strength gradually like the thundercloud. I asked him how he had gained such confidence. Shibnath said, "Ramakrishna Mission (the organization under which our institution R K.M.Blind Boys' Academy comes, alma mater of Shibnath) infused two powers in him - the power of education and spiritualism, and the power of the International Award for Young People (IAYP), which injected the confidence to overcome any obstacle that I came across on my way."

Such Shibnaths can be seen in our Academy who are always performing with high spirits and strong will power. These Shibnaths are present in every nook and corner of society and are performing tremendously in every field with flying colours. Amongst them, some are teachers, professors, and research scholars, while others are bank employees, government employees, railway employees and some of them are businessmen. Some of them have professional audio recording studios and some of them run popular musical bands.

I am Rupanjan Goswami, Award leader of R.K.M.Blind Boys' Academy. I have been working with the Blind Boys' Academy for more than two decades now. I realised the potentiality of my students while teaching them Biology, the potentiality which had been ignored by the majority of the people in society. This infinite strength of the visually challenged was discovered first by Louis Braille, the French boy inventor of the braille script. It was he who gave the keys to these people who can reach the zenith of success by their power of education and expression.

It is important to say something about the The Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' Academy here. It is a fully residential, educational cum vocational training institute. The Academy was adjudged the best institution for persons with visual disabilities twice and was conferred the President's medal. The guiding principle of this institute is man-making and character building and with this view, this institute started its journey in 1957. Thousands of visually challenged youths have been educated and trained here and they are contributing to the growth and development of our country. It has also helped to eradicate negative concepts regarding the potentiality of visually challenged peoples in our country. By joining hands with the Award Programme, it can be said that the process of growth has been accelerated regarding empowering visually challenged people.

Another Gold Awardee, Kundan Yadav says, "Each modern aircraft is made fully secure with the help of two engines, so that it can fly safely at the right height with the right efficiency. According to me R.K.M Blind Boys' Academy and IAYP are two such engines which help us to fly safely and securely, so that we can reach the appropriate height, removing all impediments and reach our destination safely."

Life at the Blind Boys' Academy is full of diversities. Besides studies, the participants are engaged in vocal and instrumental music, drama, recitation, elocution, quiz, debate, extempore speaking, and various kinds of indoor and outdoor games and sports like swimming, cricket, football, chess, carom, yoga and judo. Our students regularly take part in national level championship in swimming, cricket and judo and snatch prizes frequently.

Along with these activities, engagement in IAYP has become a part and parcel of academic life in our institution. Out of four sections which IAYP emphasizes, three of them (Skills, Service and Physical Recreation) are already in practice through our everyday routine. It is compulsory for every visually challenged student in our Academy to be engaged in these activities which are followed by the able guidance of our teachers, instructors and Award Leaders.

The Philosophy of IAYP is so popular among the very young students that they eagerly wait to reach the eligibility age group so that they may enroll themselves in the Award. Souvik, a student of class IV is waiting to join IAYP the moment he reaches the age of enrollment. He says, "Awardees of our institute are energetic and helpful after receiving this award. Each of them has become a storehouse of power. They are engaged in every activity of the life of Blind Boys' Academy. Helping the newcomers to find their ways, helping weak boys in their studies, serving food, making the campus neat and clean and showing all kind of leadership qualities which has changed the total scenario of our alma mater. When these boys go out for Adventurous Journeys taking their rucksacks on their shoulders, I feel that soon I too will be going with them. Returning back when they narrate their experiences, I too imagine as if I had travelled along with them mentally. Whatever they touch becomes successful. They are good at studies, so are they good at rest of the activities. So, I am eagerly waiting to join IAYP and I am sure that I will be successful like them."

Being an Award Leader, I see my visually challenged awardees take part in the Adventurous Journey. I see them trek through strenuous mountain routes, or on a coastal trek. I see how spontaneous they are while climbing up or rappelling on treacherous rocks using all modern rock climbing equipment like carabiners, jumars, quickdraws, rope, crash helmets, harnesses, belay devices, rappel devices, slings and so on. They are equally adept in doing river crossing, monkey crawling, obstacle trekking and pitching tents in dense forests after searching for suitable place. I see them cooking without regular utensils, using natural resources in the hill and the forest. I become spellbound when I see them well oriented with the whims of nature. They sniff out beehives by hearing the buzzing sound of the honey bees and with the help of escorts they make fires and are able to drive the bees away before tasting the sweet honey. And in the evening, when the day's activity is over, they are engaged in singing, playing the flute and participating in dances with the local tribes people.

These boys are visually challenged, so how are they familiarised with nature? This is a question which echoes in the mind of most people. The answer is so simple: they touch, they smell and they feel with their hands and their hearts and in this way they learn about nature. The concept and philosophy of the IAYP has opened their inner-eyes, helping them to overcome all odds  and at the end of the day they become victorious in their day to day struggle. This spirit helps them to get to the top with indomitable courage and grit like the visually challenged summiteer of Mount Everest, Eric Weinheinmer.

Being a sighted person, sometimes I think, if I had been visually challenged like them, would I have been able to do what my visually challenged students have done? The answer is positive yes. I could do, If I would get two wings to fly: one Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' Academy and the other, the International Award for Young People.  Click here forpictures...

Exploration cum Adventurous Journey Camp for Gold and Silver Level

Vani Dugar, Gold participant from Modern High School for Girls, Kolkata, attended an Exploration cum Adventurous Journey Camp at Dharamshala and Khajjiar from 24th to 29th May 2016. Vani is sharing her experience here with us.

The journey started with the arrival of 69 Award participants (Gold and Silver) and 3 mentors of Modern High School for Girls, accompanied by six ICNL instructors on 23rd May. After a long overnight journey from Delhi, the group reached Amritsar in the afternoon. The whole group visited the Wagha Border to witness the glorious Beating the Retreat Ceremony in the evening.

The next day began on a high note, with a visit to the famed Sri Harmandir Sahib of Amritsar, more commonly known as the Golden Temple. As we walked through the main entrance, we were left speechless at the sheer beauty of the architecture, the exquisite workmanship and the beautiful mix of colours surrounding us. We left the temple with a lingering sense of serenity and a memory that shall never fade. From there, we made our way to the Jallianwala Bagh. Our History textbooks could not have prepared us for the emotions that welled up inside us at the sight of bullet marks on the walls. The plaque beside the Martyrs’ Well informed visitors of the 120 bodies that had been recovered, a reminder of the desperation of our ancestors as they tried to escape the shower of bullets.

IAYP journeys are about being ‘away from home, close to nature’ and this could not have been truer in Dharamshala. Staying in tents, with the stars and the open sky and the mountains just an open flap away, is something we always look forward to. We spent three days i.e. 24th - 26th at Dharamshala and perfumed different activities such as Multi Chain Rope Walking and sessions on tent pitching, first aid, leadership and planning and the chance to construct the Burma Bridge. It was certainly a learning experience for all of us. The 12 km trek to the tea garden left us exhausted but with a sense of achievement. We also saw the cricket grounds, officially the highest in India, and the Dalai Lama Temple from afar.

On 27th, after a seven hours bus journey from Dhramshala we reached Dalhousie from where we left for Khajjiar. It is a fact that Khajjiar is considered to be mini Switzerland of India for its breathtaking scenery. During the next three days of our camp at Khajjiar, we did trekking and hiking. We trekked through sunlit meadows to the village of Pukri in the Chamba district. We did get a chance to interact with the locals and do a village survey. We had sessions on orientation and navigation, knots and ways of overcoming hazards with the ICNL instructors. The Camp Night, as usual, was a fun-filled and touching event.

We bid adieu to Khajjiar on the 30th of May and left for Delhi. As always, it had been an experience which was challenging yet satisfying and educational and fun-filled. Click here for pictures

60th anniversary film

2016 marks the 60th anniversary of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in the UK by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Over the last 60 years, the Award has transformed the lives of millions of young people in more than 140 countries and territories, equipping them for life. By celebrating this exciting milestone, we want to encourage millions of youth to get involved, either by doing the Award or by becoming an adult volunteer. We are excited to say that The 60 films to celebrate 60 years of the Award have been launched on Tuesday, the 31st of May 2016. The 60 films project and all the films are now available to view atwww.intaward.org/awardat60. We are happy to announce that the five participants from India,Adrija, Ishita, Pallavi, Ranjana and Vivek have been showcased in this project. Our congratulations to all our Award Participants. To know more updates, keep an eye on our social media for exciting announcements and follow#awardat60.

Magnum Opus - Perspective of Journey

Subrat Sharma, Gold Awardee from Jodhamal Public School, Jammu shares his Award Journey from scratch to finish.

“Don’t live life as it is meant to be lived; instead, change its course to harsh and the mildest of condition and then you will see the wonders of life. I remember my thoughts about the Award were limited when I first heard about it. But believing that it would take me to this height was something beyond my imagination. Now as I write about it, I’d try to create the same magic IAYP created in my life."

I still recall that winter morning when I heard the good news that my school had become the first YES Centre in the State. You might think that there was nothing so happening about it, but being the representative of the school I believed that each thing would count. The people would notice my being a part of something big and life changing, though certainly with time they might forget about it but those who would be inspired by what I earn and learn out of it would enroll and benefit by the Award and would always remember.

After that day I thought twice about enrolling myself in the Award programme. I still remember next morning when my dad read the news of my school's becoming a YES Centre and adding a feather in its cap, he turned to me and asked me to be a part of it. His idea was that it would enhance his son's personality making him a good citizen of the country. And the International Award for Young People team and the school boards had already envisioned something that my dad had thought of.

My journey for the Silver Award had begun long before I filled up my book with my life transforming experiences. I took different activities in each section of the Award like skill, service, adventurous journey and physical recreation and it was difficult for me to understand at that time that I was leading myself to a better future. I got my Silver Award successfully after completing all the sections and now I have mastered them but the confidence those learnings created in me is something everlasting and indelible. All the institutions need to realize the fact that if they want their children to shine one day then they should shape their future in a manner when their children leave the school they should attain the highest level of confidence and skill set which becomes an asset to the society.

The day I started my Silver Award journey I realized that it would help me to inculcate all those values that a leader needs to have. And the Gold Award journey helped me to master those skills further. The service I did was like a job for me and the physical recreation activity had that passion which teamwork teaches. I chose football and got an opportunity to be a part of two CBSE clusters and many inter house and inter school matches. I not just learned some brilliant skills but also inculcated certain qualities that shaped my personality for lifelong victory. A different thing which I also mastered during my Residential Project, was how one should handle problems in society. The school had already adopted a village named Ismailpur Khothe in Bishna, Jammu. There I spent a day less than a week and learned how to milk a cow, played cricket with the people, shared with them how science is a leading subject, taught them a few languages, their basics and encouraged them to learn English. Also being in outskirts for that time period, learning things, taking decisions on my own made me a responsible child. There were several adventures which removed my fear and also helped me in developing a sense of team work, kindness, being helpful to others. I have now learned that the Duke of Edinburgh Award has been the best source of learning values, knowing how to be fearless, gaining maturity and adding countless valuable experiences for every youth who has enrolled for it from all around the world. I personally believe that parents should not have a second thought about enrolling their child in the Award. Board members of different institutions should benefit their students with these kinds of activities for wholesome development of their institution and certainly one day the students would be thankful to them for it is something that turns one into an altogether better version of themselves.

The day was special when I received my Gold Award although I was anxious and was flooded with many thoughts. How changed was I in terms of all that I had inculcated? Was I the same? Or had I still to grow and learn more within? Finding answers to these questions I lead my way to the hall, stepping onto the stairs, looking at the stage where I would be standing in a while receiving my award; that feeling was something I can’t put into words though I’m sure it’s something everyone would want to be a part of.

It was a memorable day for me when I received my Gold Award from Raja Randhir Singh Ji, former Olympic-level trap and skeet shooter and now the sports administrator. He is currently the sole representative of India in the International Olympic Committee. He is also the recipient of the prestigious Arjuna Award in 1979.

IAYP has sharpened my personality and my skills way beyond my own imagination. I am thankful to IAYP and would want to be a part of it all my life.

Adventurous Journey Report

Bronze Award participants from Sat Paul Mittal School, Ludhiana completed their Adventurous Journey at Neen (Kufri) in Himachal Pradesh from 14th to 18th April, 2016. Ms. Premjeet and Mr. Kuber, two mentors from the school, share a report about their Award journey with us.

Adventure sports are being enjoyed by people from all walks of life in a big way. The reason for this is that there are new sports being conceived every now and then, which are a thrilling and exciting experience. While people these days are so caught up in their social world, tirelessly busy to maintain their digital profiles, there seems to be no time for them to enjoy the marvels of nature and to have fun outdoors. It is these adventure sports that provide an addictive adrenaline rush, which is refreshing and rejuvenates people from the monotonies of daily life. To give young people a feel of excitement and thrill and with the aim of experiencing learning outside the classroom, this camp was organised for Bronze level participants to Neen (Kufri) in Himachal Pradesh.

On 14th April, 36 Award participants escorted by two mentors left the school premises of Sat Paul Mittal School at 5:30 am and reached Chandigarh at around 7:30 am. After breakfast at Chandigarh, the students moved ahead for Neen (Kufri). It took them approximately 7 hours to reach there.

The camp in Neen is situated at an altitude of 2250 meters above sea level on the Kufri-Chail road. This is a veritable paradise endowed with great natural beauty surrounded by lofty snow capped peaks and dense forests of deodar and oaks. The accommodation with Swiss tents, in the forests of Deodar and Oaks was indeed very blissful. Within a span of 4 days the participants enjoyed a new found independence away from home and beyond regular text books. It taught them how to survive without technology and the responsibility that comes with freedom and independence.

The participants were taken for mountain trekking approximately 2200 ft above the sea level. They were briefed about various adventure activities, rope courses, the usage of various equipment for tent pitching and trekking. The trainers also demonstrated tent pitching and tied various kinds of knots that are used during mountain trekking. This Adventure camp helped participants realize the importance of certain life skills like teamwork, compassion, gratitude and individual goal setting.

The participants also performed a number of thrilling activities like Burma Bridge crossing, Bamboo Bridge crossing, Commando Bridge Bush craft, Rope Valley crossing, night trekking and campfire. Every activity was performed by the participants with great enthusiasm and zeal. The participants were taken to a local school for a visit. There, they taught the children poems, rhymes and some music, and danced and played cricket with them. The children of that school were given gifts by the participants of Sat Paul Mittal School. Also, Award participants went on a cleanliness drive to a nearby jungle and village near the school campus. In short, this camp turned out to be one of the most memorable and transforming experiences of their life. Thanks to the adventure section of the Award. Thanks to IAYP. Click here for pictures

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

The International Award for Young People India organized a two-day Award Leader training workshop on 29th and 30th of April 2016 at the Award Training Centre, New Delhi for 19 participants from various Institutions including Birla Public School, Pilani; Delhi Public School, Bareilly; Delhi Public School, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow; Delhi Public School, Saharanpur; EuroSchool, Airoli, Mumbai; Jaspal Kaur Public School, New Delhi; Mata Jai Kaur Public School, New Delhi; Maxton Strong School, Banbasa; NAZ Foundation, Delhi; Sushila Birla Girls' School, Kolkata and Vikas Bharti School, Gorakhpur.

The workshop was started with an Ice breaking session where the participants introduced themselves with the group and share their experiences. Rubina and Seema (Sushila Birla Girls' School, Kolkata) briefed about the changes they found in the Award Participants after completing their journey, while Atul (Delhi Public School, Luknow) shared his experience about working with economically challenged youth in their locality. Clifton (Maxton Strong School, Banbasa) shared the economical and social challenges which they are dealing with in remote area of Uttarakhand. After the formal introduction the workshop was led by Kapil Bhalla where he introduced the Award Programme to the participants.

In this experience sharing workshop, over the span of two days, the participants were given in-depth knowledge regarding the four domains of the programme i.e. Skills, Service, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey and also the Residential Project for the Gold Award Programme. The participants were also introduced to the technical aspects of the programme, which included Risk Management and Brand Pack.

The workshop was delivered by Kapil Bhalla (National Director), Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager), Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT & ORB), Ranjana Rai (Member, National Training Panel) and Vivek Gaur (Member, National Training Panel). The programme concluded with the presentation of participation certificates to the participants by Kapil Bhalla. Click for pictures