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"We live in a wonderful world full of beauty, charm, and adventure.
There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them
with our eyes open."

- Irving Wallace





Lt Gen Raman Dhawan, AVSM, VSM**, ADC (Retd)

President, NAF



It gives me great pleasure to, extend my warm greetings to the fraternity of adventure enthusiasts all over the Country. We at NAF are justifiably proud of our achievements and milestones. Today NAF has -

  • The status of "All India Organisation for National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development (NPYAD)" under Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Govt of India.

  • Established itself as a recognizable 'Apex Body' at the National level, as the only NGO promoting 'Adventure Sports' in the Country.

  • Extended its coverage across the Country by setting up 35 NAF Chapters.

  • Achieved considerable success in pursuing its objectives of increasing the awareness of and extending the exposure of adventure, among the youth, as a 'growth oriented and positive activity’.

NAF also draws satisfaction from the fact, that it has made its mark on the National 'Youth Related Adventure Firmament' and has served a significant social purpose in terms of-

  • Facilitating exposure to adventure, either free of cost or at highly subsidized costs, for such youth as hail from the underprivileged sections of society and for those who are intellectually/physically disabled.

  • Giving total primacy to reaching out to the 'shy and timid' among the youth, who need such an exposure as a preparation to 'cope with life and career'.

We at NAF take pride in the fact that we are at the forefront of providing an opportunity to the underprivileged and rural sections of the youth for adventure sports and activities. We, in our own humble way, in doing so contribute to character and nation building. Towards this end we place on record our sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Govt of India and our other partners for their support. Internally, the Chapters continue to be our main pillars. My compliments and appreciation to each one of them.

Finally, I convey my warm greetings and good wishes to all members of the 'NAF Family' for their happiness and success. Wish you all a great adventure.



EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The General Body elects eleven members of the Executive Council for a tenure of 3 years to correspond to that of the President. The present member are as under :-

President -   Lt Gen Raman Dhawan,AVSM,VSM**,(Retd)  

Lieutenant General Raman Dhawan was commissioned into the Indian Army in Dec 1977. In a distinguished military career, spanning over four decades, he has tenanted critical appointments including in active counter insurgency and proxy war environment in the North East and Jammu & Kashmir. The officer has attended various elite courses in India and abroad which include National Defence College, the Bofors Instructors Course in Sweden and a course on Multinational UN Operations in USA. For his distinguished and outstanding service the General officer was decorated thrice by the President of India, AtiVishishtSeva Medal and two times VishishtSeva Medal. He was appointed as Honorary ADC to the Honorable President of India on 01 Nov 2016. The General has been a keen sportsman and takes special interest in development of youth and their growth. He is fond of adventure sports and trekking.

  Gen VK Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM   

General (Dr.) Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.), is Former Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, and also for Road Transport and Highways. General Singh was previously the Union Minister of State for External Affairs. He also held independent charge of Ministry of Development of the North-eastern Region, Ministry of Planning and Statistics and Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in the past. General Singh has been the Member of Parliament (LokSabha) representing the Ghaziabad constituency (Uttar Pradesh) since 2014 to 2024. General Singh served as the 24th chief of staff in the Indian Army (2010-12). In 2015, he spearheaded ‘Operation Raahat’ for evacuation of Indian citizens and other foreign nationals from war-torn Yemen. In 2016, he led ‘Operation SankatMochan’ to rescue Indians from South Sudan. In 2018, he led efforts to locate missing Indian workers in Iraq, at a time the country was fighting ISIS.

  Wg Cdr Sanjay Thapar (Retd)  

Wg Cdr Sanjay Thapar is a sky diver. He served in the Indian Air Force and achieved remarkable feats in Adventure Sports. Sanjay is quite an adventurous fellow. He has been skydiving for almost 30 years. Now in his sprightly 60s (he first jumped when in his early 20s), he's lost none of his sense of adventure: Sanjay did around 100 jumps every year for a long time. Widely travelled, he has also pursued mountaineering, paragliding, powered parachuting, hot-air ballooning, skiing and water skiing. He was awarded the Tenzing Norgay Award for adventure equivalent to the Arjuna award.

  Kr KN Singh

  Col Sudhir Nagpal

  Col Ravinder Nath (Retd)  

  Dr Sushma Bissa   

She has climbed 7 Himalayan peaks and had also attempted Everest. As an avid Bungee jumper, skier, and a biker. She was also a part of the Mission Gange Expedition – a cleanliness campaign launched by Tata Steel Adventure Foundation, to clean the River Ganga from the stretch of Haridwar to Patna under the leadership of MsBachendri Pal. As fearless as she is, a myriad of adventures like bungee jump, flying a microlight, hot air balloon, paragliding, kayaking, para-plane etc. enthrall her. She is also an Associate Member of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and a member of the National Executive Foundation's National Executive.

  Mrs Indu Talwar

  Ms Anuja Sehgal   

Ms. Anuja Sehgal is a dynamic HR professional with a Ph.D. in Management, Master’s in Public Administration, Human Resources, Certified Diploma -T&D and XLRI Alumnus with 20+ years international (USA, UK, EUROPE, China, Belgium) experience in industries like Semi-conductor, IT, IT-staffing consulting, IT Enabled Services, Human Resource Services, Manufacturing, Business Automation, Education, Micro-Pensions, Health-Care Diagnostics, Start-Ups.She is the recipient of SPECIAL MINDS, INDIA & UNIFACVEST UNIVERSITY, BRAZIL, SOUTH AMERICA GLOBAL EXCELLENCE AWARD for Human Resources Transformational Leadership 2023 at the 4th Global Multi-Track Virtual Star Conference 2023; Innovative Training Practices Excellence Award at Career Hackathon 2023 organized by National Career Counsellors Network and "Mission Shushikshan: Best Trainer in the Subcontinent" Contest held in the Eastern Regional Conference -2023, organized by ISTD (Indian Society for Training & Development) Kolkata Chapter at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre Kolkata, India.

  Mrs Bimla Negi Deoskar

  Maj KS Dhami, SM (Retd)   

Maj K S Dhami’s journey began when he joined the Indian Army’s in Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) branch.In 1990, while escorting a VIP in Darjeeling, he visited the Tenzing Norgay Everest Museum—a moment that would change his life forever. As he walked through the museum, seeing the photos and reading the stories of mountaineering’s triumphs and tragedies, something inside him stirred. He knew he had to give it a try. So, without hesitation, he requested leave from the army, paid 400 rupees for a mountaineering course, and embarked on a new journey.Dhami’s formal mountaineering began in 1992 when he was assigned as a Liaison Officer in a Japanese expedition to Thalay Sagar Peak (6904m).Dhami’s secret weapon was his speed. In June 2000, during an EME expedition to Shri Kailash Peak (6932m), he set a record by completing the entire climb from Uttarkashi to Uttarkashi in just eight days and first ever ski decent of this mountain —an incredible feat that demonstrated his stamina and efficiency.Major KS Dhami is not just a legendary climber; he’s also a revered mentor whose influence extends deep into the Indian climbing community. He has been awarded the Tenzing Norgay Award for adventure in 2001.

Executive Director -  Wg Cdr KK Verma, (Retd)  

Wg Cdr KK Verma has worked for twenty years in Indian Air Force (IAF) at various senior positions and traveled across India and the world. He has been successful in conceiving and implementing many futuristic projects based on innovative ideas in Air Force. He has researched and developed a “Theory of Human Growth” based on unlearning. He is an author of 3 published books on unlearning. He is well awarded and acclaimed author. He is an international level squash coach, mentor & sponsor. He has trained his daughter Ms Janet Vidhi for international squash tournaments. She achieved her best ranking in India as Number 3 and the best World Ranking is 88. Janet Vidhiplaying as professional squash player. Wg Cdr KK Verma is a thinker and writer besides being a good administrator.

Our Core Values



Our Objectives

To expose the youth to nature, hardships and hazards, thereby build their personality, character, confidence and courage through adventure programs.

  • Channelise the energies of young women and men, both students and non-students, working and unemployed, with special emphasis on under-privileged sections of the society and the physically and intellectually challenged.

  • Promote, encourage, support and execute schemes for making younger generation interested in adventure activities entailing facing of challenges and obstacles, both artificial and natural, on rivers, seas and mountains and in forests, deserts, sky and in wilderness.

  • To act as the apex national body and coordinating agency in promotion and conduct of adventure sports/activities through setting up, in different parts of the Country, either new Chapters of NAF or designating/ co-opting existing organisations functioning with similar objects as NAF, as 'Chapters of the NAF'.

  • To plan, support and assist in execution of schemes and programmes aimed at promoting –

    • A spirit of travel and adventure among young people of all regions.

    • National integration.

    • Better understanding, awareness and appreciation of the customs, traditions, flora & fauna obtaining in our Country.

  • Sponsor/ support national and foreign adventure expeditions / events/ activities, as may be appropriate and necessary.

  • Promote, extend scientific and other specialised knowledge related to adventure sports by –

    • Collection and dissemination of such knowledge.

    • Holding lectures, seminars, film and slide shows and exhibitions on adventure activities including on best practices and latest trends.

History

National Adventure Foundation (NAF) was founded by Late Brig Gyan Singh, Padma Shri, former principal of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) Darjeeling and Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) Uttarkashi, and leader of India's first expedition to Mt Everest, in 1979 at Meerut. It was registered, under the Registration of Societies Act 1860, for promoting adventure sports among the youth of the Country and building their personality and character by infusing in them a sense of discipline and national pride.

Initially NAF organized adventure camps based solely on mountaineering and rock climbing. It subsequently extended its sphere of activities to other terrestrial, aero and aqua adventure activities. During 1992-93, the expertise of the NAF was utilised by the UGC to promote adventure programmes all over the Country based on their Adventure Scheme for College/University students for the 8th and 9th Five Year Plans. Since then NAF has also been conducting programmes for Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and other Govt. and private agencies.

NAF is a ‘socially oriented NGO’, which is functioning at the National level as an ‘Apex Body’, duly supported by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports for promoting adventure sports/ activities amongst the youth, particularly those hailing from the under privileged sections of society and the intellectually and physically challenged. The Ministry in 2008 granted NAF the status of an ‘All India Organisation’ for National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development (NPYAD).

Organisationally, the NAF has its National HQ located at New Delhi and its 35 Chapters located all over the Country oversee promotion of the objectives of the NAF, within the region/territorial jurisdiction allotted to each. The NAF also extends affiliation to those organisations which share NAF's social orientation, and are, thus, willing to lend support to the NAF in areas/disciplines in which the NAF needs such support to promote its objectives.

In 1991-92, on instructions from Deptt of Youth Affairs & Sports, NAF was moved from Meerut to Delhi and accommodated in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium along with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, to execute adventure and national integration programmes. In 1994, NAF was moved to IG Stadium along with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan. NAF was moved back to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Dec 2001. And then in May 2017 NAF moved to its present location in Mayur Vihar, Phase I Extension, New Delhi.




NAF Chairman

A distinguished national level and eminent person is invited to be the Honorary Chairman of the Organization.



Maj Gen BC Khanduri, AVSM (Retd),

(From 2003-2004)

Former Minister Road Transport & Highways, Govt of India.

Major General Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri (Retd.), AVSM, (born 1 October 1934) is an Indian politician. He was Chief Minister of Uttarakhand from 2007 to 2009 and 2011 to 2012. He was a Member of Parliament in the 16th Lok Sabha representing the Garhwal parliamentary constituency of Uttarakhand and is a senior member of the Bhartiya Janta Party. Earlier, he was a cabinet minister, Ministry of Surface Transport of the government headed by the former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Khanduri is B.Sc., B.E. and M.I.E. (India). He is also a post-graduate in defence management. He studied at College of Military Engineering, Pune, Allahabad University, Institute of Engineers, New Delhi, and Institute of Defence Management, Secunderabad.

Brig KP Singh Deo, AVSM (Retd),

(Since 2005 )

Former Minister of State for Defence, Personnel & Information & Broadcasting, Govt of India.

Founder

BRIG GYAN SINGH

(12 April 1915-97)

Brig Gyan Singh, was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery as an Officer in Jul 1940.he developed an aptitude for mountaineering during his tenure in J & K in 1948 as the Commanding Officer of a Regiment and climbed numerous Himalayan Peaks while carrying out reconnaissance and other professional tasks during this tenure.

In 1958, Brig Gyan Singh was posted as Principal, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling, a premier Mountaineering Institute, which further whetted his appetite for mountaineering. In July - Aug 1959, he visited Europe, to attend the International Mountaineers Meet. During his visit to Europe he also visited a number of Mountaineering Institutes and gained valuable knowledge about Mountaineering.

In 1959, India was planning to launch its first 'Indian Everest Expedition'. Giving recognition to the fact that Brig Gyan Singh had established himself as an accomplished and able mountaineer, in Sep 1959, he was appointed as the Leader of the 'Expedition to Everest'.

Brig Gyan Singh led the 'Expedition' from Mar to May 1960. Though, the Expedition had to be abandoned just 700 ft short of the summit due to prevailing and anticipated 'adverse weather conditions', it had put India on the Mountaineering Map of the World.

In Nov 79, Brig Gyan Singh founded the National Adventure Foundation, with the aim to promote adventure among the youth, throughout the country.

In recognition of his services to the Nation in the field of Mountaineering, Brig Gyan Singh was awarded the Padma Shri and National Adventure Award for Life Time Achievement.


Roll Of Honour

AWARDEES


Padma Shri


Name Year
Late Brig Gyan Singh 1961
Ms Prem Lata Aggarwal 2013

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award (Life Time Achievement)


Name Year
Shri Magan Bissa 2020

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award


Name Year
Mrs Bachendari Pal 1994
Ms Santosh Yadav 1994
Ms Anita G Devi 1994
Ms Suman Kutiyal 1994
Ms Bimla Negi 1994
Ms Sarla Negi 1994
Ms Chandra Prabha Aitwal 1994
Col MP Yadav 1995
Sqn Ldr Sanjay Thapar 1995
Late Brig Gyan Singh 1996
Ms Kokila Sudha 1997
Late Shri Amulya Sen 1998
Col HS Chauhan 1999
Maj Kulwant Singh Dhami 2001
Sqn Ldr RC Tripathi 2001
Ms Barkha Kishore Kedia 2001
Mr Brain Dermot Kharpran Daly 2002
Wg Cdr Jayashankar 2004
Wg Cdr MIK Reddy 2006
Capt MS Kohli 2007
Ms Ritu Kishore Kedia 2015
Ms Premlata Aggarwal 2016
Capt Udit Thapar 2017

EMINENT STALWARTS OF NAF

  Lt Gen RK Gaur, PVSM (Retd)

  Lt Gen GL Bakshi, PVSM (Retd) was President NAF from 2001-2015  

Having joined NDA Lt Gen GL Bakshi was commissioned as an Officer in Infantry in 1956. He commanded an Infantry Battallion, an Infantry Brigade, a Mountain Division and a Corps. He held Instructional assignments at Army War Collage as also Defence Services Staff Collage. He was awarded PVSM by President of India in 1994. He retired as DG NCC in 31 Jul 1994. He has been leading the NAF since 2001.

  Col N Kumar, PVSM, KC, AVSM (Retd)  

Col. N Kumar, PVSM, KC, AVSM, FRGS (Retd) is an internationally known highly decorated mountaineer. He has successfully led mountaineering expeditions to the highest peaks of Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal, Garhwal, Kashmir and Eastern Karakoram. Out of 13 highest peaks above 24000 ft climbed by Indian, nine have been climbed under his leadership. He was also the first Indian to reach a height of 28300 ft during the 1960 Indian Everest Expedition under Late Brig Gyan Singh. Col N Kumar, is not only a mountaineer but also keen skier and white water rafter. He led All India Ski Trishul Expedition and has skied down from 23360 ft to Base Camp at 15500 ft in an hour and a half whereas the ascent took 10 days. He has fondly been named "Bull" Narinder. He is a regular contributor to the National Adventure Foundation Magazine (NAFER).

  Ms Bachendari Pal (Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awardee)  

Bachendri Pal is an Indian mountaineer. In 1984, she became the first Indian woman to climb the summit of the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest.She was awarded the third highest civilian award in India, Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2019. She started mountaineering at the age of 12 when, along with her friends, she scaled a 13,123 ft (3,999.9 m) high peak during a school picnic. On the invitation of her school principal, she was sent to college for higher studies and, during her course at Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, became the first female to climb Mount Gangotri 23,419 ft (7,138.1 m) and Mount Rudragaria 19,091 ft (5,818.9 m) in 1982. In that time, she became an instructor at the National Adventure Foundation (NAF), which had set up an adventure school for training women to learn mountaineering.

  Mrs. Bimla Negi Deoskar (Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awardee)  

Bimla Negi Deoskar is a mountaineer and adventure coach. Having summited several peaks including the Everest, she is the first woman to win the National Adventure award – the highest recognition in this field in India. She has also participated in more than 25 national-level expeditions and led the India Team on several expeditions.She has been awarded the Tenzing Norgay Award for adventure in 1994.

  Gp Capt Jayashankar (Retd) (Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awardee)  

Group captain Jayashankar, founder Camp Splendor, Annamalai Hills, a multifaceted personality who has made a name for himself as a specialist in Adventure Sports. Excelled in adventure related projects as part of the activities of the Directorate of Air Force Adventure Cell, he holds Limca Book record for the maximum number of Sports parachuting jumps exceeding 1800 jumps. He has been awarded the Tenzing Norgay Award for adventure equivalent to the Arjuna award in 2004. He is running Camp Splendor in Annamalai Hills that is a hub for land, water and aero sports apart from being a most amazing leisure outing.

  Gp Capt MIK Reddy (Retd) (Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awardee)

WELL KNOWN PERSONALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH NAF

  Brig D K Khullar(Retd)  

Brig D K KhullarAVSM, FRGS (Retd), is a mountaineer of national and international repute. He has been on 12 expeditions in the Himalayas, mostly as leader. In 1984 he led the fourth Indian Everest Expedition which has the distinction of putting the first Indian women, Ms Bachendri Pal, atop Everest, besides having the distinctions of an oxygen less climb by Sherpa Sirdar Ang Dorjee and solo ascent by Phu Dorjee. He is a recipient of 'Arjuna Award' and 'Padma Shree'. He is a regular contributor to the National Adventure Foundation Magazine (NAFER).

  Capt MS Kohli, In, AVSM (Retd)  

Capt MS Kohli, In, AVSM (Retd) is a world renowned mountaineer, who has been on 14 major Himalayan expeditions and encountered 17 miraculous survivals. He led the historic Indian Everest Expedition in 1965 which set up a world record then by putting nine climbers on the summit. In 1977, Capt Kohli, also organized "From Ocean to Sky" Ganges White Water Rafting Expedition, in collaboration with Sir Edmund Hillary. He has been the Vice President and President of IMF for 14 years. A prolific writer, who has 20 books including an autobiography. An 'ARJUNA' Awardee, has also been awarded the "TENZING NORGAY NATIONAL ADVENTURE AWARD-2007", for 'Life Time Achievement'. The author is India's "Himalayan Legend", who was leader of India's first successful Everest Expedition in 1965. He is a regular contributor to the National Adventure Foundation Magazine (NAFER).

  Mr R K Sharma  

Mr R K Sharma a post graduate in Political Science and Sociology, is a dedicated adventurist. Late Brig Gyan Singh personally appointed him as Secretary of Rajasthan Chapter, NAF in 1993. Having done basic mountaineering course from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, he has trekked to Everest Base Camp twice. He is a very good Parasailing Controller. He is also founder Secretary of IMF West Zone Committee and Rajasthan Adventure Foundation. He is a regular contributor to the National Adventure Foundation Magazine (NAFER).

  Mr Charles Clarance   

Mr Charles Clarance is a renowned educationist in Agra with an experience of 27 years in the field. He is presently the Principal of Dr MPS World School. An enthusiastic personality in sports and co-curricular activities. He is a regular contributor to the National Adventure Foundation Magazine (NAFER).