Making adventure a way of life

A maverick from Buldana, he came to Nagpur with his bicycle put on the bus. Today, Amol Khante is showing a complete different face of adventure to Central India through his CAC-Allrounder group. With his effort, Nagpur is all set to become hub of adventure tourism, sports, education and therapy... 

WANDERING through the hills and forests around the town is common weekend feature for the youths in hilly district of Buldana. When Amol Khante came to Nagpur some ten years ago, he realised that this nature trail is considered as ‘Adventure’ activity by urban people.

A born adventure enthusiast, and then a law student, Amol started searching an ‘adventurous’ way of life rather than filing affidavits and waiting for next Tareekh. While pursuing law, psychology and physical education, Amol also got engaged in adventure activities. After a brief stint with National Adventure Foundation (NAF), he founded ‘Central Adventure Council (CAC) Allrounder’ in 2005. Thus, began a complete different journey.

In his office-cum-residence at Dharapeth, Amol is usually busy planning for adventure tours, camps, and scripting new ideas along with his wife, four-year-old son and an extended family of ‘CAC Allrounder’ - a group of several adventure-enthusiast youngsters.

“I set out alone for my destination, but friends kept joining me along the way and formed a multitude,” says always humble Amol. Firstly, he started with the development of adventure day-out facility at Maitraban village, at Mohgaon Zilpi near Nagpur. “We started developing the concept under the guidance of Ravindra Gandhe. Gradually, it started gaining positive response,” Amol says.

Today, CAC Allrounder has developed a well-equipped camping site on the banks of Zilpi Lake opening new horizons of one-day nature trail for children, young couples, groups and friends. Children get introduced with adventures at Maitraban with activities like camping, rock climbing, trekking, river crossing, rafting and others. They learn team spirit and leadership. The place is methodically kept away from pollution, addiction, and other ill-practices.

Presently, Amol is pursuing his Ph D in Adventure sports and recreational activities and his thinking on this subject has a great depth. “Adventure activity is multifaceted. It’s not just tourism, or sports. We have to develop it as adventure education and also adventure therapy,” he says stressing on the fact that adventure therapy is the answer to lifestyle diseases. As part of imparting adventure education, CAC provides training of disaster management and rescue operations to Air Force, Army Jawans, Police and fire officers on regular basis.

The Maitraban magic was recreated on the banks of Ramtek’s Khindsi Lake with the development of Adventure Village. Set against the stunning backdrop of the green and rugged terrain of the Sidnhurgiri, the place has 100% unadulterated adventure sports with the assurance of international safety standards. Supported by skilled trainers, Amol personally looks after the quality and innovation of the activities at Ramtek.

Today, one can enjoy all types of adventure sports -- in air, land, and water -- right there in Ramtek. Its open for schools, colleges, groups and one and all on reliable rates.

“Through adventure tourism, my aim is to open new employment opportunities to local people. A local representative in every village acts as a guide as well as a service provider for visiting tourists. His special focus is on preserving the natural beauty of the place,” when Amol says, one realises how responsibly he has managed the entire scene.

Amol’s CAC - Allrounder has a bright future as now the government is also serious about adventure tourism. Amol is working on several committees and sharing suggestions about adventure. However, the hills and forests around Buldhana are still green in his heart. “Foremost responsibility is to conserve our natural habitat. It’s the one solution of all other problems,” he smiles, while sharing finest Mantra of ‘natural’ success.

Cutting of the same article published  in The Hitavada. 

A faithful freelancer

Once left un-reported; the crowd-pulling religious discourses and events started getting their due placement in Nagpur newspapers after Dinesh Suchak started his freelance journalism with ‘faith’ beat some 26 years ago. Started on a bicycle, this unique ‘PR’ journey has reached into a car now. today, no religious event in Nagpur is complete without Suchak’s reports.

Dinesh Suchak and his car. (Pic by Satish Raut)

MOST of the people in newsrooms of all leading newspapers of Nagpur are familiar with this old man who comes to their offices almost every evening with a bunch of press releases. Dinesh Suchak greets everyone with Namaste and hand over his reports. These reports are mainly about the religious discourses, or rituals, or visits of religious, spiritual personalities to the city. Written in fluent classic Hindi, most of them are carried ‘as it is’ in Nagpur’s prominent Hindi dailies. Marathi and English newspapers, too, give due placement to them. Suchak’s reports have their own value for newspapers and their readers. His activity is unique, and his personality, too.

Since last 25 years, Dinesh Suchak circulates press notes, but he is more than just a PR activist. He gets payment from organisers for writing, but he is more than an adverstising agent. Suchak writes about a ‘beat’ which is traditionally neglected by journalists over the years -- religious events, discourses and rituals. In fact, these events are crowd-pullers and very important for newspapers in readership point of view. Suchak provides a proper reporting of these events and acts as a mediator between Nagpur’s print media and religious event organisers. Suchak acts as a bridge joining different cadres of society with each others. Profoundly religious in nature, he believes that he was destined to do this job.

“Otherwise, why would a businessman’s son appear for Rashtrabhasha Kovid Hindi Examinations and become ‘Kovid’ (graduate) in Hindi language?” he asks. “I was a businessman. Journalism was nowhere in my thoughts,” Suchak recalls from his early days when he used to be in marketing of colour chemicals for powerloom workers of Jabalpur region.

“Two wars between India and Pakistan affected adversely on powerloom business and we suffered major losses. On the verge of bankruptcy, I had to leave Jabalpur with a problem of survival. After paying most of the debts, my hands were almost empty. But, I had faith in God, that saved me and took me to the other way,” Suchak, who had gained some exposure of journalism while being with his reporter friends in Jabalpur, says.

Nagpur, being his native place, made his struggle quite sustainable. Suchak mentions many great names in journalism and religious fields who gave him a strong backing during his early days.

“It was 1987, when my article on Chhote Jalarambappa appeared in ‘Nav Bharat’. Since then, Nagpur’s traditional ‘Ram Janmostsava Shobhayatra’, and other events became my specialities.

Suchak devotionally mentions blessings by Acharya Dongre Maharaj he received earlier in his career. A simple call by Asaramji Bapu, or a smile by Sudhanshu Maharaj is of a great importance for him.

Suchak believes in all religions and works for Jain, Sindhi, Gujarati and Sikh religious events, too. At 66, he personally goes on field reporting and writes reports. He has mastered over skills of using mobile phone, internet. Started with a bicycle, he used to hire an autorickshaw to take his daily round of Nagpur newspapers. Now, he owns a car. His driver is a Muslim who offers Namaz for five times in a day.
“While working for rival newspapers, I must take care not to be channel of loose talks or spread hatred. Being religious helps me in the same,” he says.

In his residence-cum-office in crowded lanes of Itwari, Suchak is available day-long. Three years ago, he had a bypass surgery. “Doctors told me to avoid exertion. But, I can’t rest for long,” when Suchak says, one realises that his functional heart may have been operated, but his original one lies in his work.

Cutting of the same article published in The Hitavada.

Agent of ‘honour’ after death

Once, he received death threats from crematorium priests and was termed as anti-religion by some people for promoting the concept of body donation. Today, after 26 years, Ramesh Satpute receives awards and recognition for GETTING 111 bodies donated to various medical colleges, and having made more than 680 body-donation wills through his campaign ‘Deharashtrarpan’

Ramesh Satpute (Photo by Anil Futane)

ALTHOUGH he makes it look simple with his ever-smiling and cheerful personality, Ramesh Satpute’s job is not at all easy.  In a society where discussing death and post-death rituals is itself believed to be inauspicious, he campaigns for  skipping all rituals and donating  the body to medical institutions for research purpose.

Not just message, but Satpute provides a legal body-donation will to the aspiring donors and completes all legal procedure. Not just paperwork, but Satpute also convinces the family-members of a donor about the pledge being done by their elder. Not just lecture, but Satpute also visits the house of the donor on death, checks the body for proper condition, coordinates with the receiving hospital, and makes arrangements to take the body to the hospital. This process involves several practical, financial and most importantly emotional challenges. And the person of sensitive artistic heart can only dare to deal with all these situations. Ramesh Satpute is a perfect fit for this job.

Satpute was a leading commercial designer of Nagpur in mid-1980s when he came to know about the dearth of cadavers for medical research. “My doctor cousin in Pune told that only unclaimed bodies are being used in medical colleges and it is not a good practice. I offered to donate my body for the purpose but even he was ignorant about the process of body donation,” Satpute recalls. After inquiry in GMC and other colleges, he found the process of body donation very complicated. “But I found many people like me who were eager to donate their bodies for further medical research. I pursued the subject for several years and the concept of ‘Deharashtrarpan’ took birth,” Satpute sums up in two sentences, but his ‘pursuance of several years’ include lot many things. His own body donation pledge was rejected sighting legal reasons. So, he and his lawyer friends drafted a complete legal ‘will’. After several timely amendments in it, the four-page document is now in use as official body-donation will. “More than 640 people have signed the same ‘will’ and 111 bodies have already been donated to many hospitals. However, the need is even more. We should promote this noble cause,” Satpute adds.

“After all, body donation is not new in Hinduism. The legend of Maharshi Dadhichi says that he donated his body to create ‘Khadga’, a weapon of Lord Indra by whom the entire Demon clan was demolished. We should come forward for benefit of our further generations,” Satpute gives an instance from Puranas. According to his documentation, people from all religions are becoming aware about body donation. “Some Muslim people also expressed their interest, but their Maulavis didn’t allow them,” he says. Still, the man with mission has visited 800 plus families to spread awareness about the cause. He has a huge collection of all kinds of experiences – good and bad – and all these experiences have made him emotionally and intellectually rich. “My eyes go wet when I see old-age parents signing the ‘will’ just because their children have no time to perform last rites. However, sometimes, I found myself emotionally chocked when I see children shedding tears while signing the consent letter on parents’ ‘will’ as it is hard for them to believe that their loving parents would depart. The world is full of different people,” Satpute states.

He gets call at any moment of the day or night and has to leave immediately to examine the body. “Body with wounds or bed sores is not accepted. So, I have to check and many a times reject. This moment is very tough for me,” he says. Due to his mission, Satpute cannot leave Nagpur for a long duration. “I am a travelling enthusiast. But my trip is limited for a day or two now,” he smiles with and offers his ‘trademark’ chocolate to us as he signs off.

Cutting of the same article published in The Hitavada on February 24