BHUBANESWAR: Though mountaineers from Odisha have scaled challenging heights of success with grit and gumption over the years, the state has never had a full-fledged association that could inculcate the spirit of adventure among children and youth. Realising this gap, three adventure freaks and sports enthusiasts in Bhubaneswar joined hands to come up with Orissa Mountaineering Association, the first dedicated forum of mountaineers in the state.
The association was launched on Wednesday in the presence of state Sports minister Suryabanshi Suraj, president of National Rifle Association of India and Balangir MLA Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo and managing director of SN Mohanty Group Prabodh Mohanty.
The primary aim of the association, sponsored by Sports Science India (SSI) is to propagate adventure and allied activities at the grassroots level and expose the youngsters to its thrills. It also aims to wean away youngsters from the addiction of gadgets and bring them closer to the nature.
It was founded by sports medicine expert and founder of Sports Science India Dr Sarthak Patnaik in association with mountaineer and fitness consultant Gayatri Mohanty and Dwiti Krishna Mishra, a naval veteran and sports enthusiast.
“We will organise training camps, expeditions and adventure events aimed at teaching outdoor survival, first aid, navigation and environmental conservation. Through our efforts, we will strive to make adventure sports more accessible and inclusive for everyone,” said Dr Patnaik, during the launching ceremony.
Explaining the need to have such an association, Gayatri stressed on the significance of developing a bond with nature. “We want to make adventure sports inclusive and make it available to every individual,” said Mishra.