Indiahikes

This time, last week, students from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore were descending a slope in high spirits. From the joy on their faces, nobody would’ve guessed the intensity of what they had just gone through. A Himalayan trek in December. Temperatures dipping to -5 degree Celsius. Unusually strong, icy winds. This was the setting for IIM Bangalore’s Himalayan Mountain Challenge with the Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning (InSOUL) this year. Their mission? - Reach a high summit within a specified time frame - Pitch their own tents, including community tents - Cook food without generating food waste, and trek without generating waste - Leave no one behind. The mission is considered successful only if everyone summits. 💡 But what does any of this have to do with Management? Management is an applied field. Students might gain plenty of knowledge through classroom learning. But essential skills and attitudes are extremely difficult to inculcate through classroom learning alone. Experiential Learning programmes like the Himalayan Mountain Challenge bridge the gap between theory and real-world learning. 🗻 Our team pushed students out of scholarly pursuits and comfort zones, into a space where they must plan a Himalayan trek; and within this unfamiliar context, understand what it means to be leaders and team players. Did they rise up to the challenge? A thousand times, yes ✅ “The students were so grounded, respectful, and open to any challenge. Going through the programme in this season is itself a challenge. They trusted the process - just like all of us,” shares Faizan Devdiwala, one of our facilitators. What floored us, especially? Students’ insights during focused reflection sessions. 👏 Ideas of “success” had evolved for the students. Success gradually became less about the summit and more about looking out for each other as a team, no matter what.  It’s one of the guiding principles for treks with Indiahikes - there’s so much more to trekking than getting from point A to B.  “The human aspect of every individual took over and we could see collaboration in its truest form,” shares Rahul Paul, another of our facilitators. We loved the students’ spirit – their grit, vulnerability, and thoughtfulness. And some of the most in-depth debriefings our team has had the pleasure of listening to yet. Congratulations, everyone! Our thanks, especially to Prof. Shubha Patvardhan, Prof. Ritwik Banerjee, Prof. Manaswini Bhalla from IIM Bangalore. It was a pleasure trekking with you. Get in touch with us/learn about InSOUL programmes for B-Schools here >✅ https://lnkd.in/g_WHQ3RJ Izzat Yaganagi, Ramon Dharma Rajan, Lakshmi Selvakumaran, Prathima Chhabria, Shachi Tripathi, Sanjay Mistry, Abhishek Bhan, Al Umar Waquar, Gurpreet Singh, Yashwant Mithilesh #iimbangalore #insoul #indiahikes #outdoorlearning #experientiallearning #leadership #teamwork #teambuilding #learning

Large Vs. Small Teams - Why Bigger Isn’t Better For Team Building When companies ask us to organise treks for 200 or 300 employees, we understand what they might be looking for - a grand adventure with grandiose impact. On the surface, the idea of 300 employees trekking together sounds like a powerful way to bring people closer. The truth? Size doesn’t always equate to impact. We’ve learned through years of experience that bigger isn’t always better when it comes to team-building. Why? - Large groups reinforce existing power dynamics - Lack of opportunities for deep conversations and real growth in large groups - Actual dysfunctions of the team get hidden behind large numbers - Communication gets lost in large teams  - The sheer size of the group creates anonymity, allowing individuals to hide behind the crowd rather than confront their behaviours or limitations. The Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning (InSOUL) believes that for anyone seeking a meaningful team-building experience, smaller groups are not just preferable—they are essential. Large-scale programmes often lose the essence of what makes #outdoorlearning impactful: more authentic connections, deep reflection, and personal growth. Do you feel the same way or differently about #teambuilding programmes? We would love to hear your thoughts. Read more about this here - https://lnkd.in/gE6E4tU5 #indiahikes #insoul #corporateteambuilding #teambonding #learninganddevelopment #experientiallearning #leadership #collaboration #learning

"It’s rare to meet someone who not only guides you through a trail but also nudges you towards inner exploration." Thank you Venkateshwari N (ICF ACC), for beautifully capturing the essence of what trek leaders strive to do at #Indiahikes

Did you know that over 5 million #geniuses in India remain undiscovered, and many live in urban slums? Young minds as brilliant as Apollo astronauts—held back by circumstances that barely allow survival, let alone success. When told about their children’s gift, many parents -burdened with economic realities -wonder, “What gift?” Mensa - the world’s oldest high IQ society - is on a mission to discover India’s “uncut diamonds,” offering special scholarships to students who pass their tests, and a chance to transform their lives. 🌄 As a part of this larger dream, Mensa India Project Dhruv and Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning (InSOUL) came together to help expand their scholars’ horizons on an experiential learning trek. A Himalayan trek designed not only to test, but to inspire. Having high IQ is a great start, but is it enough? Great minds and thinking need more than IQ, they also need strong Social and Emotional Learning and support. Raw intelligence needs perspective and confidence. It needs nurturing, opportunities, and encouragement. Most of all, intelligence needs a safe space to dream. We designed the trek as part of this support—with immersive #learning activities and reflections to help students explore, stumble, try again, and succeed. We sensed the fire in their bellies; young people carrying the weight of two generations’ hopes and dreams on their shoulders, eager to make something of themselves. Trekking brought out sides to themselves they didn’t know existed. “The 5-day trek was more than an adventure, but a deeply transformative experience. What we carry with us as we return home is more than just memories—it’s a sense of inspiration, motivation, and strength that will continue to guide us. We return with a sense of belonging—a home within ourselves, knowing that those who trek together, stay together,” shares Komal Yadav, Vice President, Mensa India Dhruv Chapter. InSOUL was honoured to join Mensa in their mission to lift young people up - to have played a small part in helping future leaders dream a little bigger, climb a little higher. Click the link ⬇️ to learn more about the Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning https://lnkd.in/gDHgsaED Izzat Yaganagi, Prathima Chhabria, Vishal Kumar Verma, Shachi Tripathi #indiahikes #insoul #outdoorlearning #experientiallearning #mensa #mensaindia #trekking #hiking #SEL

7 Inspiring Things We've Learnt About Children (and from them) While Trekking: 1 - The tinier the child, the bigger the courage. 2- Adults underestimate children all the time. Children can and will do hard things. They need a chance to try, and try again (and for adults to back off just a bit). 3-  Children teach you that it doesn't matter how fast and far you go, it's how deeply immersed you are in the moment. 4 - Children will surprise you. A child outdoors is different from a child in school/at home. Roti-sabzi for dinner? Absolutely. Five days without screens? No problem. 5- Children willingly take responsibility when you have conversations. Having chats about what works or doesn’t is more effective than arbitrary rules (“because I said so”). 6- Away from structured spaces and the fear of doing something wrong, children’s inherent resilience, courage, and kindness shine through. 7- Beautiful things happen when you give children more agency over their learning. Trust them, won’t you? Parents naturally worry about what will become of their children. Who will they grow up to be? Here’s what the Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning (InSOUL) wants you to know: Adventure is among the best gifts you can give children. Have faith, and let go. The Kids Are Alright. We see it every time children trek 😊 Here’s to doing right by the children of the world. To know that our initial role is to keep the storms at bay, but eventually prepare children to ride it out on their own.  To remember that even as we hold them close, the sky is theirs – vast and wild. Help them reach for it. Happy Children’s Day! Izzat Yaganagi Prathima Chhabria Harshitha P. Mrudula Joshi Shachi Tripathi Sibanwita Mohanty #indiahikes #outdoorlearning #experientiallearning #education #schools #trekking #hiking #childrensday #insoul

Thoughts from the Trail: Anything that pushes children out of comfort zones is now deemed "bad." Remember when adolescence was meant to be a time to toughen up for life's rigours? Is that era well and truly gone? We ask since many parents or schools we engage with tend to imagine the worst about the outdoors. Send children on a TREK? The horror. On digging deeper, we find that adults are terrified of children being children. What if they trip while walking, slip and fall, get scratches, bruises, get their clothes/hands dirty, or can’t look after themselves without adult supervision? If children don't fall, they never learn the beauty of standing on their own feet. Scrapes and bumps are a rite of passage for any child. No one wants to see a child injured, struggling, or emotionally hurt. Fear drives us to create safer, more controlled environments. But have we taken it to the extreme? Do we now have a generation of parents that’s erased adversity altogether? Instead of helping kids face risks, the aim is to push any challenge out of the way. Even #schools have fallen in line with the world’s aversion to risk. Coddled children: - Don't learn resilience, problem-solving, and emotional regulation - Struggle to understand their environment, others, and their own selves Research shows that children wrapped in cotton wool push boundaries recklessly as teens on breaking free from adult supervision. 🌄 Rethink Risk the Outdoor Learning way The Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning (InSOUL) believes that risk is worth it. From river crossings and steep ascents to forest sections with no defined path - a trek has different levels of risks. Finding a balance between the risks and benefits is essential. The key? Dialogue! Guide children to assess risks instead of eliminating them. “That's dangerous!” conveys fear. Consider discussing the risks – why is it dangerous? What can we do? Shachi Tripathi, Programme Designer and Trainer at InSOUL, shares a few tips for fearful adults, “It starts with awareness. If there’s a lizard inside your home, do you tell your child it’s dangerous because of your own fears? Probably. Take a larger view. Is the fear valid? What are the major and minor risks? Give children the chance to figure things out themselves.” In other words: - Ask if you might be projecting your own fears. Objectively assess whether the risk is appropriate to the child and to the environment. - Encourage dialogue, give children the tools they need to handle the situation, step back and guide. TL;DR - There’s always risk in climbing trees, using knives, or hiking in the mountains. Discuss the risks together. A responsible and collaborative approach to managing risk can turn fear (a child's or your own) into something memorable. Healthy risk-taking builds confidence and resilience, preparing children for a world that might not always be easy or kind. Learn more here - https://lnkd.in/ggMiGQUg #indiahikes #outdoorlearning #experientiallearning

The AEE APAC conference was a wonderful opportunity to interact with and learn from experts in the field of Experiential Education and Adventure Therapy from across the globe. More than that, it felt like finding your tribe! A whole new world where everyone's working together to make learning more meaningful, impactful and joyful! We loved the energy of the participants in the session we conducted. Everyone engaged so enthusiastically while we shared Indiahikes' experiences, in action, of the last 13 years of running our experiential learning for management institutions in the Himalayas. We also had the privilege of attending other sessions where experts in the field shared their valuable learnings. We were so spoiled for choice with so many amazing people facilitating so many sessions. You can see a few glimpses below. Hopefully this collaboration will enable educationists in our country to explore the great potential of experiential learning - especially in the outdoors - and integrate it more strongly into the curriculum. Thank you to all those who worked towards making this conference possible and for bringing it to India. #AEEAPAC #ExperientialLearning #CollaborativeLeadership #OutdoorEducation #Indiahikes #AEE

Learning through adventure teaches everything that classrooms can't, which is why students from Indian Institute of Management, Indore head to the mountains every year for their Himalayan Outbound Programme. Formal structures and hierarchies break down in the outdoors, creating the ideal setting to discover who you are and who you can be as a team. What's more, it is a raw, unfiltered experience that has a profound impact on students - as this video will show you. 📽️ Watch for glimpses of the students' extraordinary journey during the 2023 programme - https://lnkd.in/gPZgnFCW The Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning (InSOUL) designed the programme to enhance Collaborative Leadership skills and behaviours in students. The method: Plan and execute a Himalayan trek under the guidance of Indiahikes facilitators. To add to the challenge, students were battered by rain and snow throughout. 📰 Students from IIM Indore are all set to return to the Himalayas next week – 6 new teams on 6 different treks; an adventure of a lifetime! All the best to them, and the team from Indiahikes leading the charge - Izzat Yaganagi, Lakshmi Selvakumaran, Kavinaya Mohandas, Shravan Ragi, Rishivar Mukherjee, Yashwant, Om Gajjar, Alagesh, Vijay, Nilang, and Abhishek Roy. #indiahikes #iimindore #experientiallearning #outdoorlearning

"Some won't accept me because I am a woman on the slopes. People ask if I have the strength to carry my 10 kg backpack. It doesn't bother me." - Indiahikes Trek Leader Stories. Alveera Ansari, who’s from Rajasthan, has grown up hearing things like, “How much more will she study?” “Get her married!” Her parents paid no mind to what people said and supported her dreams. She found herself working in IT, where she often reflected on her existence. She liked her work. The pay was good, but something was missing. She quit her job, and told her father, “Papa, khushi hai par sukoon nahi hai.” (I have happiness, but no sense of peace). Alveera began trekking to find answers. On one of her treks to Roopkund, her group ran out of water to use in the toilets. A little farther away, she saw yellow tents and noticed the people there seemed to be doing just fine. She learned it was an Indiahikes camp where bio-toilets were the norm. Intrigued, she applied to be a trek leader. “I knew trekking would transform my life. But I didn’t know I could transform other lives through it, too. When I led my first trek, it was full of challenges. Almost half of my trekkers returned to base with an incomplete trek. But when the rest of us reached the summit, and they thanked me for making it happen, I was overjoyed. So much that I cried. Today, many treks later, I am the shoulder people cry on,” expresses Alveera. After joining Indiahikes, Alveera feels she has gained confidence and become more thoughtful about the environment. What she cherishes is the culture of care in the organisation. From rescuing a doctor who had HAPE  (high altitude pulmonary edema) to autographing t-shirts for trekkers, Alveera has seen it all. “What impacts me is when I hear things like, 'You are the first woman trek leader I know.' I want women in trek-leading to become the new norm," shares Alveera.    Alveera believes she has more answers than questions, thanks to being in the mountains. She says, “I know that the mountains are always there to listen to me. I have finally found sukoon. Know that the mountains are here for you, too.” #IHTrekLeaderStories #Trekleadingatindiahikes #Lifeatindiahikes #Workingwithindiahikes #indiahikes

How programme design, facilitation, and challenges turn a Himalayan trek into the perfect setting for true #collaboration. Team Indiahikes will be sharing insights on this today at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Regional Conference organised by the AEEAPAC Association for Experiential Education. Izzat Yaganagi and Ramon Dharma Rajan's session will draw on 11 years of learning from the Indiahikes Collaborative Leadership Programme – our flagship experiential learning programme for B-Schools and Management institutes. Read more about the programme here - https://lnkd.in/g_WHQ3RJ Today promises to be fun and enriching. We look forward to meeting and learning from the global experiential education community. #experientiallearning #experientialeducation #aee #indiahikes #collaborativeleadership