Adventurous Journey reveals youth leaders

Award participants from Him Academy Public School, Vikasnagar, Hamirpur, HP completed their Adventurous Journey to Barot Valley, Mandi, HP. A report by Rajeev Kumar (Award Leader)

We, a group of 43, left for the camp on 17th Sept 2017 from Hamirpur, HP with 43 Award participants, including two Silver and 41 Bronze level participants. We arrived at Hamirpur at 5:30 am and undertook a bus journey to Trekker’s Nest, Barot Valley, Mandi (the campsite). The planning for the journey was over during the month of August and the preliminary training and preparations were already done in the month of August.

On the first day of our journey, we set up tents, learnt essential knots and about different kinds of camping gear. The participants were taken for mountain trekking approximately 2200 feet above the sea level at Barot Valley, Mandi, HP. The Adventure Journey camp shifts the focus away from the individual and teaches campers to be more selfless and become better team players. The day was full of experiential learning for all of us, as we learnt about nature and various kinds of vegetation. Everyone noted the important points in their diaries and record keeping journals.

On the second day, we took part in rock-climbing and rappelling. The participants were made to trek to the locations at which these activities were organised. These activities were quite arduous under the scorching sun, but they allowed the participants to step outside their comfort zones and challenged them in ultimate terms. They learnt about mountain manners and first aid. At the close of day the participants discussed the challenges and the fears they overcame.We did get the opportunity to participate in Nati during evening hours with the campfire.

The third day was of thrilling and unforgettable experiences of different adventure activities like Zipline, Rope Valley crossing and campfire. Every activity tried the strength and flexibility of the participants and taught them to sustain themselves in the toughest conditions and improved their endurance levels. After the journey, we all returned to the school with chapped lips and fond memories.

These adventure camp activities have led to decreases in childhood adjustments, anxiety issues, and social inhibitions that manifest themselves silently in the participants. By the culmination of the camp, we had unfurled various leaders among the youth. Many learnt teamwork and overcame phobias. Parents affirmed this camp to be a wholesome experience for their wards and wanted them to be a part of such activities in the future on a more consistent basis. Click for more images 

The Adventurous Journey helps each one realise their own hidden potential

A report from Rashmi Bhargava, Award Leader, M.G.D Girls' School, Jaipur, on the Bronze and Silver Adventurous Journey.

Bronze and Silver Award participants from Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls’ School, Jaipur undertook an Adventurous Journey to Mashobra Hills, Shimla from 11th to 16th April 2017.

Though they had been briefed about the Journey during a preliminary training session, had understood the importance of safety and use of different equipment, the process of pitching tents, use of different types of rope knots, first aid and navigation techniques, the actual Adventurous Journey proved to be a personality changing experience for each one of them.

When they reached Mashobra, they were divided into four groups and the instructors appealed to their competitive and leadership instinct right from the very beginning.

"Each time, on time" was a clearly communicated motto. Each member of each team had to report right on time. There was always an ongoing competition between all teams regarding punctuality, keeping the tents clean, serving and eating meals in a disciplined and cordial manner, putting shoes and utensils in place... in short, in an effort to score over other teams, participants tried to imbibe the right values till it became a habit with them.

The day’s activities -- exercises, treks, adventurous games, leadership games, rappelling, zip-lining, etc., were organised in such a way that besides being challenging and entertaining, each team was back in time for hot, sumptuous meals and clean washrooms, full of enthusiastic anticipation for the next fun-filled activity! Participants and teachers both marvelled at the level of excellence in planning and execution of camp activities.

Digital detoxication was another wonder! The participants had no access to smartphones, television and other gadgets that have become an inseparable part of their lives, and they did not miss them. It was back to basics. With a clear star-lit sky, a bonfire in the centre and fellow participants around it, each narrating her experiences of the day, scaring others with ghost stories and imaginary incidents of the night trek, playing antakshari, celebrating birthdays and friendships, they enjoyed the human interaction which has been lost in the digital world.

It was amazing to see that even asthmatic participants undertook long treks, rappelling and zip-lining sessions, without difficulty. The air was truly invigorating!

Leadership games and cooking a meal after an uphill 14-km trek, saw the best of volunteering, taking responsibility and delegating it to fellow team-mates, recognition of individual talent and excellent coordination among participants even in such a short span of time!

The perfect weather and the scenic surroundings of Mashobra became secondary to the admirable transformation in these youngsters who came to realise their own potential after going on the IAYP Adventurous Journey. It is always going to be a memorable experience for all.

Award makes for a wholesome and holistic growth of the young people.

The IAYP Showcasing reflects the whole experience of the Award Programme during the year, which gives a great confidence to the participants, because of the skills they acquire, the emotion quotient that they get out of being with the group together and the community participation that plays a pivotal role. The young people do many activities and when they associated with the Award, they got a chance to do many more, as they are not stuck in only academics; they develop a well rounded character. I would say that, doing the Award programme individually and doing it as a group gives one a feeling of belonging. It gives a feeling of well-being and all that put together makes for a wholesome and holistic growth of the young people.

Dr. Annie Koshi, Principal, St. Mary's School, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi

Award Leader Reflections on the Award

Md Irfan, Gold Award holder 

“The Award has really taught us to utilize our leisure time in a constructive way in order to have a productive outcome at the end of the day. I personally liked the Skills section the most; I took up Embroidery and by the time I completed the 3 levels, Embroidery had transformed from my Hobby to my Skill, and now it is my Profession, and for that, I am really thankful to the Award.”

Md Imran, Gold Award holder 

“I really know how encouraging it is to be praised and recognized for something I’ve done, be it a little pat on the back after a long trek or an Award after the completion of a level. And of course, receiving my Gold Award from the Vice-President of India is one of the greatest moments of my life. When I realize that a lot of well-established people don’t get the honour of meeting Dr. Hamid Ansari, I feel it has been a miracle for me; that’s precisely what the Award has taught me, that miracles are achievable.”

Award Leader Reflections on the Award

Biswajit Ghosh, Principal of Rama Krishna Mission Blind Boys’ Academy, Kolkata

The most striking feature of the Award is that it is non-competitive, which infuses a sense of togetherness and selflessness among the youngsters, who generally face competition in every juncture of life. This not only helps the young adults bring out their best but also instills a sense of belonging to the society at large.

Adrija Chatterjee, Gold Award holder, IAYP Youth Representative 

“The Award lets us know ourselves and our latent potentials. It develops a desire in the young Awardee to push one’s own self a bit further to achieve something in life. Most of the girls in our institution have to endure a lot of external challenges and pressures to continue with the Award, but in the end, the achievement really pays for it. And as for myself, I think the Gold Award, or rather the Award Journey itself has been one of the most important achievements in my life.”

Award Leader Reflections on the Award

Prabhnoor Khurana, Confluence World School, Rudrapur 
"My experience so far has been full of learning in these two days of training. To say that I was in need of such a programme that would enhance my skills and provide a better understanding of youth empowerment, would not be incorrect. While attending the workshop there have been some queries and doubts, however, with the passage of time and working in the field, they would be resolved. I feel that this youth development programme provides a wonderful platform to hone skills, confidence level, team spirit, and leadership qualities of young ones. For me, in simple terms, IAYP represents leaving our comfort zone to get the best out of us."

Aasheesh Rawat, Snow Leopard Adventures Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon 
"This is one of the best experiences of my life. I learned a lot from this two-day workshop. I feel this is a very useful programme for youth and their bright future. It enhances their level of service to the community, skills set, the level of confidence, and teamwork."

Award Leader Reflections on the Award

Prabhudatta Lenka, Hopetown Girls' School, Dehradun 

"The two-day YES workshop based on practical hands-on experience and visually memorable training material given to the Award Leaders proved to be a complete learning experience for me. I think with the effective way in which the training was imparted and all the sections explained, this becomes one of the best sessions that I have ever attended. I feel grateful."

Samrat Chakrabarty, Sports Coordinator, Oakridge International School, Visakhapatnam 

"The Award brings in diverse experiences for the most vulnerable and able generation, which gives them stability and proper direction. It connects them with all spheres unexplored to give them a first-hand experience. Also, the Award equally helps in building character and shaping the personality of young people."

Adventure Trip to Prashar Lake

Trilok Singh, Award Leader from Harvest International School, Ludhiana is sharing his report on the Bronze Level Adventurous Journey.

The nine-hour-long haul to Himachal started on 15th October 2016 at around 9.30 pm. Nine hours later journeying in two tempo travellers we reached our destination and base camp, Baggi, which is roughly 10 km from Prashar Lake. This group comprised two Award Leaders, two mentors and eighteen Bronze level aspirants.

The trekking adventure started immediately after breakfast, when the participants climbed the challenging track into a beautiful new world. The arduous climb presented many difficulties but operating as a team they made light work of it. The group took a well-earned break at the half-way point, stopping at a couple of houses where they were allowed to use the facilities. The participants made food for everyone with the limited available resources.

At 7.00 pm, as we dragged our weary limbs onto the shores of Prashar, its stunning beauty erased all our aches and pains. The participants set about pitching the tents immediately, before the sun could go down. The participants worked in three groups with one leader. With the help of the mentors and Award Leaders, the participants built fires and set about preparing the evening meal. This self cooked meal by the participants was enjoyed together, sitting on the ground around the campfire. After dinner the participants spent some time together discussing and planning the next day's activities.

The early morning sun heralded a fabulous day and spurred the participants to accomplish all the necessary camp tasks with alacrity. Soon the fire was lit for a breakfast, prepared as a group. The day was passed in many adventurous activities like practicing the tent pitching, rope activities, and understanding of camp craft and equipment. The mentors explained the navigation techniques to the participants.

In the evening the participants packed their tents and returned to base camp ’Baggi’. After reaching the base camp site, the participants pitched camp, lit a fire and enjoyed a small dance party; food was then prepared and eaten by firelight and then straight to sleep as an early start was required the next morning.

Next morning everyone was up at 6.00 am, ready to pack tents and load equipment into the tempo travellers again. It was challenging work for us since nobody wanted to break the spell the beautiful location cast upon us. It was a wonderful experience that gave us a new way to look and explore mother nature.

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

The International Award for Young People, India organized an Award Leader Training workshop at the Award Training Centre on 16th and 17th September, 2016.

The two-day workshop was attended by 16 participants from different institutions across India, including Mody School, Lakshmangarh; Harvest International School, Ludhiana; Bawa Lalvani Public School, Kapurthala; Chinar Public School, Alwar; Pt. Uma Dutt Public School, Dholpur; The Aditya Birla Public School, Kotputli; New Digamber School, Indore, Pathways World School, Aravali; and DPS International School, Saket, New Delhi.

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 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), Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT and ORB), Pratibha Kumari Singh (Member, National Training Panel) and Ankit Durga (IGE Rep, India). The workshop included interactive and fun sessions to engage with the Award Leaders. The Programme concluded with the presentation of participation certificates given by Kapil Bhalla.

The workshop fulfilled its objective to make the potential Award Leaders develop a comprehensive understanding of The Award Programme and its functioning. Click here for the pictures

Adventurous Journey Report

Gaurav Jalan, a Bronze Award participant from Sarala Birla Academy, Bangalore, shares his Adventurous Journey report with us.

Fifty-eight Award participants of the Bronze Level, escorted by four mentors set out to Kabby Coorg on 11th June 2016 at 8 A.M. The journey was of about 7 to 8 hours including some stops for lunch and snacks. We reached the camp site “The Coorg Institute of Adventure" by 5 P.M. It was a beautiful place with a facility to play volleyball and do other trekking activities. Soon after arriving, we had evening snacks, after which we settled ourselves in our dormitory while some were engaged in playing volleyball and some others in admiring the beauties and bounties of nature. After dinner we had a bonfire around which we sat and had a gala time.

Our next day was scheduled for trekking. We got ready with our backpacks and set out to the trekking point “Chomkund” which was 25 Km from the campsite. Before we started trekking, we were given some safety instructions and necessary trekking advice which would help us in carrying out the task smoothly and safely. After all the preparation we started trekking. It was quite steep and we experienced cold windy weather and torrential rainfall while retreating.

Some of us were privileged to help others in their difficulties. Everyone reached back safely, though many of us had leech bites. But the overall experience was worth remembering and full of learning for us. We faced our fears, pushed ourselves out of our limiting zones and helped each other by experiencing the true spirit of teammanship. Evening was the resting time given to all of us, a time when we relaxed and deeply introspected on our outside the class memorable lessons.

Next day, after the breakfast, we had zip-line activity planned at the campsite. After doing that we packed our luggage and started our journey back to school. Overall we had a good time. All of us enjoyed and had a great experience. The purpose with which we had taken up the activity was served well. Click here for Pictures

Abbas Ali Baig

Chief Guest at Gold Award Ceremony - 14th July 2016

Abbas Ali Baig is one of the most elegant right handers to have worn the Test Cap in the history of Indian cricket. A child prodigy, Abbas Ali Baig, born on 19 March 1939, made his debut in First Class cricket at the age of 15, during the 1954–55 Ranji Trophy, against Andhra Pradesh.

He played in 10 Tests between 1959 and 1967. In a career spanning 21 years, he scored 12,367 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 34.16.

He made his initial reputation playing for Hyderabad, but it was while at Oxford that he started making heads turn with his dazzling and exquisite stroke-play, fleet footed movement and incredible hand-eye coordination. While at the crease, he was more like a composer directing his orchestra rather than a batsman wielding his willow.

His debut for India had an element of drama in it as the 20-year old Abbas Ali Baig was drafted straight from University into the Indian team to make his Test debut in the 4th Test at Old Trafford in the late 1950’s India tour of England. Baig became the youngest Indian cricketer to score a century on debut when he made 112 in India's second innings. It was also the first century by an Indian debutant outside India.

Following the series in England, Baig was included in the Indian squad for the home series against Australia later that year. In the first innings of the third match at Bombay, he scored 50 and was involved in a crucial 133-run partnership with Nari Contractor. Baig followed that with another half-century in the second innings when he made 58. His half-centuries helped India secure a draw. With over 12,000 runs in the First Class, and a style of batting that captured the viewers’ imagination, Abbas Ali Baig was the quintessential romantic batsmen in an era when India was not known for its cricketing prowess and the limited touring opportunities that were available never really allowed India to exploit his talent to full potential. During a break in India's second innings, when Baig walked to the pavilion along with Ramnath Kenny, he was kissed on his cheek by a young woman spectator, leading Vijay Merchant to remark “wonder where all these enterprising young ladies were when I was scoring my centuries and double centuries.” 

For Baig’s excellent batting in that season, he was named one of Indian Cricket’s five "Cricketers of the Year" in 1959-60.

He was impressive in the domestic circuit, scoring heavily in the Ranji and Duleep Trophy tournaments. In 1966, he was included in the team for the home series against West Indies. He was selected to be a part of the Indian team that toured England in 1971. He was the manager of the Indian Cricket Team during the 1992 World Cup.