BENGALURU: Rajiv Mehta’s interest in adventure sports started early on when he was learning how to swim from his father, who would go up three floors to the diving board and dive in to the pool below. The CEO of StoveKraft, who has previously helmed Puma and Arvind Brands, has come a long way since then, having done scuba diving in the Andamans, solo microlight flying to the Savandurga Peak in
Karnataka, sky diving in New Zealand, and segway rides in Budapest.
Mehta’s first adventure activity was a bungee jump in South Africa in 1997, when he was on a family vacation. Coming across a sign along the highway, Mehta took a decision at that moment to try it, and turned the car off the highway. “The jump was off a bridge which was at a height of 265 feet over a river,” says Mehta, also recalling the first time he flew solo in the microlight. “The control over the machine, the dependence over nature’s elements, the sights below and the horizon in front, I still have that picture crystal clear in my mind. There was such an adrenaline rush when I took off, flew and landed,” says the adventure junkie.
While Mehta, 41, looks at adventure activities as meditative and therapeutic, back at home his family is always in fear, especially when he flies or dives. “My mom consults the astrologer. But I am okay with that as it gives her a sense of comfort. My wife asks specifics about the place, the hotel, the activity, and makes sure that I call her once I am done with it,” he says.
With adventure sports comes the issue of safety, which Mehta carefully looks into. Scuba diving as well as flying have theory examinations and courses, which he ensures to pursue to be safe as well as enjoy the activities. “Even so, there is fear for sure. We are, after all, human. The more you focus and the more you practice, the less the fear. Confidence also increases when you go over possible scenarios where things can go wrong,” says Mehta, who has learnt from the mistakes he has made. Like the first time he did a dive without equalising the pressure in his ears correctly, which led to a clot inside the ear. “I was not able to hear well for a couple of weeks in one ear,” he recalls.
Among the challenges he has faced has been his experience with the bureaucracy in India when he appeared for the flying exams. “Even though I finished the course, the paperwork wore me down, and I gave up getting the actual licence. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation does not favour hobby pilots,” he rues.
But none of this deterred Mehta from pursuing his passion.”I love my work, so it has not been a case of balancing. Every day is in perfect harmony. I make time for sport and adventure,” he says, adding that he plans holidays and adventure activities in advance to be able to enjoy them.