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The call of the wild brings the adrenaline junkies out of their nests and India is becoming a hotbed for adventure sports. Adventure tourism has come home and not only foreign adventure enthusiasts but Indians are also tasting the rush and testing the mettle by participating in the adventure activities.The choices are myriad; the land activities include mountaineering, trekking, rock climbing, skiing, etc; water activities include scuba diving, kayaking, canoeing, water skiing, white water rafting, etc; and the air activities include paragliding, skydiving and others."The surge among Indians is primarily fuelled by the exposure, the adventure thirst and the increase in disposable income. Around 85-90 per cent demand is generated by the domestic consumer," says Sutheeshna Babu S, nodal officer, National Institute of Watersports, Goa. Every terrain is being harnessed as the possible stop for adventure sports.From river cruises on Narmada and Ganges to ocean cruises off the west coast, from trekking and mountaineering in Himalayas to rafting on the white waters, the adventure companies and the government is leaving no stone unturned to capitalise on such opportunities. The foreigners too look to India for adventure sports because of the diverse landscape and definitely the cost factor.The participation of the corporates is also helping in writing a new chapter for such activities in India. Many corporates have started organising and prompting their employees to join such activities as they bring out the leadership qualities, increase confidence, hone thinking abilities and prepare an individual to face adversities with a bold face."The association adventure travel had with Nepal has changed gradually. Partially due to the slowdown due to the Maoist trouble in Nepal, the internet and emerging outfitters in the Indian adventure scene. India has a great future. Over one third of the Himalayas lie in India and with better connectivity, roads, and quicker access and communication, we expect the boom to knock on our doorstep within the next 4-5 years," says Vaibhav Kala of Aquaterra Adventures, New Delhi.The sector has started showing up with more players venturing in. The awareness about the education aspect of tourism is seeing a fillip among people and the tourism ministry has to be largely credited for that.However, the need of the hour is to increase the number of institutions that can provide quality training. Most of the places are run by the government and there is hardly any private player in the market. The quality of training is excellent but the problem is the numbers. There is also a lack of credible and established adventure companies which is playing a tad spoilsport in the growth. Vaibhav thinks, "Lack of proper licensing, understanding of safety and of adventure travel and low entry barriers are the cause.Right now, anyone with a mobile phone, a map and a couple of tents can become a trekking outfitter. For river running, lack of basic safety regulations can ensure anyone can purchase a raft and enter the business."There has been a talk of including adventure tourism course in the school syllabus, so that the students can benefit from the practical and theoretical aspect of it. It's beneficial for students to get an experience of such courses as they help you secure the coveted seat in colleges as they get you five per cent rebate in the required percentage while seeking admission.Atal Bihari Institute, which boasts of training more than a lakh people, offers a basic mountaineering course that can be completed in 26 days. It also offers courses in basic water sports, rafting, kayaking, and there are advanced courses too. Similarly, the institute has a course which provides knowledge about aero sports such as parasailing. "The courses are made to meet the needs of every person, be it someone who just wants to enjoy or someone who is serious about the profession and wants to make a living from it," shares Rajiv Sharma, deputy director.Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and Himalayan Mountaineering Institute also provide trainings to learn the ropes of this profession. There are courses such as basic and advanced. Advanced mountaineering course at Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is eligible to those who obtain A grade in basic course. The course is of 28 days. The course provides advance training and experience of climbing a mountain in an expedition planned by trainees under the supervision of instructors.They also learn the various rescue operations in different mountainous terrain. Then there are courses which teach the methods of instructions coupled with the necessary technique exposure. Those who have an inclination to pursue mountaineering as a career are recommended to participate in this course. National Institute of Watersports offers various courses in windsurfing, dinghy sailing, waterskiing, scuba diving, river rafting and kayaking.Opportunities are available for the enthusiast, for people who love the outdoors and are committed to a career there. It is not a conventional option and a passion for work in the wild is a definite pre-requisite. Talent and aptitude are respected and persons with that go a long way. One can find employment in the armed forces, can work as freelancers and even these institutes offer positions as trainers. The most profitable option is to start your own adventure company.If you market the business well then there is no limit to the money you can make with corporate, schools, colleges and individuals getting more involved. "With an investment of Rs 5-10 lakhs one can start a small scale enterprise. The adventure industry is providing opportunities to all as it doesn't require high education qualifications and that makes it open to all," says Babu.The starting remuneration for an instructor primarily depends on the expertise in the profession, but one can fetch around Rs 10,000-15,000 as a starting salary.Follow us on Twitter!
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