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April 2013
Dusty Trails
Mani: Everything changed after the gold medal Manikandan Kumar – ‘Mani’ to friends – became the first Indian to win gold at any international climbing event when he won the IFSC Paraclimbing World Championship. The 27-year-old polio-affected Bangalorean won the gold from among 23 climbers in the Arthritis/ Neurological/ Physical Disability category. Mani opens up on the win: His disability: My upper body strength has always been good, so the weakness of the leg wasn’t a problem. I became a climber due to my disability, because it was APD (Association of People with Disabilities) that took me to my first camp. If I’d been able-bodied, I would probably have become a mechanic. The competition: I felt no pressure. I had prepared well. I’d been waiting for my opportunity. After I came first in the first round, I was confident of winning the gold. Winning the gold: I’m happy to be the man who won the gold medal for my country. Standing on the podium was the best thing while the national anthem played. It felt great to stand as a world champion. I fulfilled my dream to become a world champion after 10 long years. There are no words to describe how it was.
How life has changed: It’s changed in a lot of ways. Everything has changed – personal life, family life, friends. A lot of people got to know about my climbing. People come up to me and talk to me. That feels good. The papers and television channels covered my achievement. I’m happy with the money I got. I received money from Gethnaa, IMF, and a few private sponsors. My family is happy. Earlier, they wanted me to get a job, but once they heard I won the gold, they were happy. There is no more talk about getting a regular job. The year ahead: I will be going to France for a month’s training in August, and from there to Italy for an event called Rock Master in September. I want to explore new routes in other countries. I hope to spend a month in Europe, and I want to explore Fontainebleau, which has more than 10,000 routes. How the gold made a difference: It gave me confidence. I tell everybody not to lose hope. It was difficult, but I never gave up, however much difficulty I had to go through. That’s what made me strong. This is my 11th year in climbing. I have never got bored of it. Whether people are at the wall or not, I will be there. Climbing is like life for me. Even if I’m not doing anything I will be at the wall.
‘We have set a standard’ National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is among the most respected wilderness education institutions in the world. Founded by mountaineer Paul Petzoldt in 1965, NOLS focuses on building leadership qualities in the wild. The Indian chapter of NOLS is headed by RAVI KUMAR. Excerpts from an interview with DUSTY TRAILS:
Could you tell us about NOLS? NOLS was started 48 years ago in Wyoming by Paul Petzoldt. He started NOLS to produce leaders who would then propagate good use of wilderness. It operated at a personal level. Then an episode titled ‘30 Days To Survival’ was shown on TV, and people started valuing NOLS education. The first international branch was in Kenya. NOLS came to India in the early 1990s.
There are 600 qualified instructors from around the world. Any of them can choose to teach in India. We offer contracts. Those who wish to come get shortlisted and sent to India to teach that course.
Hong Kong, Canada, Europe and other places. For our trip-leader course, which is over 21 days, we’ve had close to 75 graduates in seven years, and about 250 WMI (Wilderness Medicine Institute) graduates.
How has the adventure scene in India changed since 1991? People are more aware of the environment. We want to create leaders who will use the wilderness in an appropriate way. We don’t teach people how to climb mountains; we teach them how to take care of themselves in adverse weather, to navigate, to layer themselves well, to cook. We teach them to manage risks, so when they are on their own, they do it safely.
Personally, what has the journey been like? My first experience with mountains was in 1985 when I was 16 or 17, and I went to Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. Wilderness was like therapy, and it became an addiction.
How did NOLS take off in India? A couple of NOLS instructors came to climb in India and saw a potential for a classroom. We believe in self-sustained expeditions, without porters or mules. Having NOLS in India gives opportunity to youngsters to work in the US,
How has NOLS influenced you? The biggest learning for me is the potential of producing responsible wilderness users. We propagate that well, and that’s what we need in India. That’s been a propelling point for me, to make sure we have good leaders who use wilderness responsibly and lead people responsibly. We have set a standard unheard of. Contact Ravi Kumar at: 09410159900. www.nols.edu/courses/locations/india/