Ajeet Bajaj
| Ajeet Bajaj | |
|---|---|
|
At South Pole | |
| Born | 1965 |
| Occupation | Adventure sports |
| Spouse(s) | Shirly Thomas Bajaj |
| Children | Deeya Suzannah Bajaj and Meghna Ann Bajaj |
| Parent(s) | Jai Dev Bajaj and Satya Bajaj |
Ajeet Bajaj (born 1965) is the first Indian to ski to the North Pole and the South Pole within a year.
Early life
Bajaj (also affectionately known as "Bagage") completed his schooling at Lawrence School, Sanawar.[1] At the age of twelve he climbed the 12,000 ft (3,700 m) high Friendship Peak near Kullu, and then at sixteen years old he ascended the Hanuman Tibbal, a 20,000 ft (6,100 m) high peak.
He graduated from St. Stephen's College, Delhi.
Adventure
Bajaj became the first Indian to have skied to both the North Pole[2] and the South Pole, and has undertaken travel in 17 countries spanning six continents. In July 2008 he kayaked along the coast of Greenland as part of an Indo-American team. The expedition’s aim was to create awareness about the effect of global warming on glaciers.
Bajaj has won a bronze medal in the national games for kayaking and a silver and two bronze medals in international rafting competitions in Switzerland and Siberia, Russia. He has captained an international team for world white water championships in Turkey.
Bajaj qualified as a climbing instructor at the French National School of Alpinism and Skiing and has experience in a host of other adventure sports including skiing, rock climbing, snorkeling, sea kayaking, scuba diving, bungee jumping and canyoning.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and is former President of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India.
Achievements
- Chief Instructor for kayaking course conducted for instructors of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, India.
- Course director for River Running courses conducted for the National Institute of Water Sports, Goa, India.
- Leader of first descent expeditions on the Nubra, Shyok, Ravi and Beas rivers in India.
- Leader of rafting expeditions on Indus, Zanskar, Yamuna, Bhagirathi, Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers for the Indian Army. First descent by Kayak of upper Yamuna.
- Expedition leader and chief instructor for forty-five river running courses and expeditions for the Indian Armed Forces. Many of these expeditions were on uncharted rivers in the Himalayas.
- Joint leader Indo-U.S. Kali-Sarda River Expedition (first descent) – 1987.
- Member of a number of international expeditions in India:
- Indo-U.S. Uttar Ganga Expedition (1984) in the upper reaches of River Ganges in the Himalayas.
- Member Indo-Canadian Sutlej Expedition (1985) which undertook first descent of the Sutlej River in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, India
- Member Indo-Canadian Teesta expedition (first descent) – 1986 in Northeastern part of India.
- Technical Director for Four Square International White Water Challenge 2001, India.
- Former President, Indian Association of Professional Rafting Outfitters of India.
- Member of executive committee *Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.
- Awarded PadmaShri in 2012[3]
References
- ↑ Ajeet Bajaj says the school motto kept him going at expressindia.com
- ↑ Bindu Shajan Perappadan (7 May 2005). "Honoured for conquering North Pole". The Hindu. Retrieved 2011-11-07.
- ↑ "Padma Awards". pib. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.