Mandip Singh Soin

Mandip Singh Soin born 9 March 1957 is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, UK and has been a prominent mountaineer and explorer for four decades. He is an adventure travel and Ecotourism expert, an advocate of responsible Tourism and the Founder President of the Ecotourism Society of India.[1] His mountaineering ascents include the first Indian ascent of Mount Meru[2] in 1986 in the Himalayas as well as several ascents in the French and Swiss Alps, Italian Dolomites, Wales and Scotland.

Early life and adventure activities

At age 14, Mandip started participating in climbing expeditions while he was studying at air force central school delhi cantt under Mr Hari Dang a well known educationist and a mountaineer. Later while studying at St. Stephen's College, Delhi and during his early climbing years he pioneered environmental causes along with his expeditions. In 1979, he co-founded his travel and tour company Ibex Expeditions Pvt. Ltd. Later, in 1988, he undertook a Mountain Rescue project in North Wales, Scotland and Chamonix, under the aegies of the INLAKS Foundation. His team established a project called HELP (Himalayan Evacuation and Lifesaving Project)[3] and Sir Edmund Hillary was the Patron of the project.

He also led the first crossing on camel back of the Indian Thar desert[4] from Jaisalmer to the Rann of Kutch in 1986, and the first Elephant expedition in the jungles of Kerala in 1990. In 1992, he was nominated 'India's Most Versatile Adventurer' by The Limca Book of Records[5]

Environmentalist

Mandip has campaigned the cause of environmental protection with concern for forests and endangered communities in India.[6] He is the Honorary Founder President of the Ecotourism Society of India,[1] and member of international committees such as the Pacific Asia Travel Association[7] international committee on Sustainability & Social Responsibility, Member of the World Travel Market(WTM) Responsible Tourism Day's advisory panel and a Trustee of the Himalayan Environment Trust,[8] amongst others. Since three decades, he has visited over 50 National Parks and Sanctuaries all over India, Sri Lanka and South Africa to assess the Ecotourism potential and lay out strategies for the tourism industry. As Chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association India Chapter's Environment & Ecotourism Committee, he encouraged the Indian travel industry to sign an environmental pledge in 1992.

Expeditions

  1. Explored French, Swiss & Austrian Alps, the Italian Dolomites for trekking, rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, downhill & langlauf skiing, tandem hang gliding and kayaking, 1979 – 80.
  2. Went as Student Liaison officer with foreign expeditions to Dunagiri, KR 1, Sattu da Par & Kalanka, in the Himalayas
  3. Rafting Expeditions: Rogue River expedition, Oregon, 1981; River Zanskar expedition 1981 and 1995; Padas River, Borneo, 2006.
  4. Cycling Expedition: Delhi to Kathmandu, 1981.
  5. All India Rock Climbing Expedition, 1984.
  6. Led first crossing of the Thar desert on camel back, 1986.
  7. Member first Indian ascent of Mt Meru in the Garhwal Himalaya, 1986.
  8. Arctic Environmental Expedition: ICEWALK International Students Expedition, under the auspices of the (UNEP) United Nations Environment Programme, 1989.
  9. Led first Elephant Expedition, Kerala, 1990
  10. Led Youth Educational Expedition, Sikkim, 1990 for the Youth Exploring Society.
  11. Angling Expedition to the Himalayan rivers, Rameshwar and Pancheshwar for the Mahaseer (Carp family), 1992.
  12. Led Indo British Frozen River Zanskar & Winter Expedition with Lord John Hunt as Patron, 1994. The expedition was awarded the Explorer's Club Flag.
  13. International Friendship Expedition: Indo Pakistan Friendship Expedition, Swiss Alps under the aegis of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the World Climbing & Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) 2002 in the Aletsch glacier in Switzerland.
  14. Led International Ecotourism & Volcano Expedition, Andaman and Nicobar Islands to present low impact tourism strategy as a sustainable option to the Government of India, 2003.
  15. Led expedition to Borneo, 2006
  16. River Ecotourism Expedition Chambal River with the Madhya Pradesh Ecotourism Board to convert Bandits to Naturalists, 2007.
  17. Led The Sacred Mountain Expedition, Tibet to Lhasa, 2007
  18. Led Mongolia Expedition, 2009.
  19. Led Madagascar Expedition, 2010
  20. Led Peru Expedition, 2012

Awards

  1. Best Outstanding Green Leader by PATWA, Pacific Asia Travel Writers Association 2000.
  2. India's Most Versatile Adventurer' by The Limca Book of Records 1992 and 2008.[9]
  3. The Ness Award by the Royal Geographical Society, UK 1992 for Mountaineering, Polar expeditions & encouragement of Youth exploration.[10]
  4. The International Institute for Peace Award for the Indo-Pakistan friendship expedition in the Swiss Alps 2002.[11]
  5. Award of appreciation for contributions to Himalayan Environment by Sir Edmund Hillary 2003.
  6. 'Arjuna Award of Adventure' – The Tenzing Norgay Lifetime Achievement National Award for Adventure 2012[12]

Appointments and Memberships

  1. Founder President, The Ecotourism Society of India. (ESOI)[13]
  2. Senior Vice-President, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India. (ATOAI)[14]
  3. Trustee, Himalayan Environment Trust. (HET)[15]
  4. Member, Judging Panel, Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, World Travel and Tourism Council[16]
  5. Member, National Tourism Advisory Council, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
  6. Member, Madhya Pradesh Ecotourism Development Board. (MPEDB)
  7. Member, Ecotourism Society of Himachal Pradesh.
  8. Member, National Committee on Tourism, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).
  9. Member, Committee on Tourism of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
  10. Former Member, Managing Committee, The Himalayan Club, India 1986–2012
  11. Former Chairman of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award North Zone in India 1982–96.
  12. Member, Governing Council, Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi.
  13. Member, The Explorers Club and The American Alpine Club, USA; The Alpine Club and The Scientific Exploring Society, UK.
  14. Fellow, Royal Geographical Society, UK.
  15. Past chairman, South Asia Chapter, Explorers Club USA
  16. Member, Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF)
  17. Member, Access & Conservation Committee, Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA)[17]
  18. Member, International Committee of PATA for Sustainability and Social Responsibility.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 "Welcome to Ecotoursim Society India". Ecotourismsocietyofindia.org. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  2. ↑ "The Telegraph – Calcutta : At Leisure". Telegraphindia.com. 18 March 2006. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  3. ↑ Sagar Shiriskar. "Mountain Rescue The Right Way". Himalmag.com. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  4. ↑ "That top-of-the-world feeling". Express TravelWorld. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  5. ↑ Jasmine Hegde (March 2009). "The Nilkanth Expedition 2007" (PDF). Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  6. ↑ "Helping the Indian tourism industry go green!". WWF India. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  7. ↑ "PATA Adventure Travel and Responsible Tourism Conference and Mart" (PDF). Pacific Asia Travel Association. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  8. ↑ "Himalayan Environment Trust". Himalayanenvironment.org. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  9. ↑ "We lack spirit of adventure: Mandip Singh". Outlook India. 18 November 2008. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  10. ↑ "Medal and Award, Recipients 1970–2011" (PDF). Royal Geographical Society. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  11. ↑ "The Alpine Journal, 2003" (PDF). The Alpine Club. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  12. ↑ http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/mandip-singh-soin-receives-arjuna-award-of-adventure-the-tenzing-norgay-lifetime-achievement-national-award-for-adventure-2011
  13. ↑ "National Body for Responsible Tourism". Ecotourism Society of India. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  14. ↑ "Committee Members". Adventure Tour Operators Association of India. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  15. ↑ "Board of Trustees". Himalayan Environment Trust. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  16. ↑ "Mandip Singh Soin". Tourism for Tomorrow. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  17. ↑ "Membership in Access and Conservation Commission" (PDF). International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  18. ↑ "PATA Adventure Travel and Responsible Tourism Conference and Mart 2011". Pacific Asia Travel Association. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
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