A group of ex-servicemen has launched a unique adventure tourism initiative for paraplegics and terminally ill patients. SMRITI NEGI tells you more
Adventure tourism in India has just got a big Armed Forces push. A group of soldiers who recently retired from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force have set up an adventure sports company not just for the young adrenaline buffs, but also for paraplegics, disabled and terminally ill people having their own bucket list of extreme sports.
This company will be the first of its kind to service ailing people not just in India but throughout the world if all plans go the way they have been devised by Major Vivek Jacob (retd.) and his band of other ex-servicemen.
“Our dream is to set up a company which will fulfill the dreams of a generation of ailing people. But for now, we are raising funds to work on this mission. And to raise funds for our ultimate project, we will be taking normal people on adventure trips around the world,” says Jacob.
“We are doing this for normal people so as to establish a big network because it is really expensive. If a person on a wheelchair wants to do scuba diving, it will cost about four times more than it would for a normal person,” he points out.
It is not just another adventure company out to exploit the rising adventure fever among the youth in India. The Special Forces Adventures (SFA) as it has been titled, draws its spirit from the intense commando training capsules that the owners have gone through in their life with the forces.
“We will be bringing this extra edge to our clients by imparting to them the special mores of what we got trained in,” Jacob says.
His colleague Rajrshi Paul who spent 15 years in the Navy as an ex-marine commando with the elite group Marco, would be training the clients in adventure sports of scuba diving, sky diving and para jumping. "I have been a Navy SEAL. I know the sea, air and land. That is why I would be giving that special extra bit in sea, air and land activities by using my experience in the Navy to make it more exciting and safer,” Paul tells you.
So how is this adventure company different from others plying in India? First and foremost, the training and the capsule are devised more on survival in extreme circumstances, like in a jungle or under the sea. "The SFA focuses on teaching people drills which will help them get through any situation in life and not just getting to know how to have fun,” explains Jacob.
For now, the SFA is all set to fly to Thailand which, for adventure enthusiasts, is a great opportunity. Which leads to the next question, why not India? “There are places for scuba-diving in Goa and Pondicherry or other coastal regions. But Indian water is not that clear and we don't have much good diving sites. And until and unless you get to see the real beauty, people won't understand the nature under-water,” Paul explains.
Speaking of adventure tourism, India is yet to arrive on the firmament. Adventure is at its nascent stage. The land activities are restricted to trekking and camping and aerial ones prefer Paragliding and Parasailing. For water it is rafting and boat safaris.
However, there are not enough operators which makes enthusiasts turn to opportunities outside India. “We will not only work wonders in India but our USP is that as opposed to any other adventure tourism company we have a much broader base activities,” Jacob insists.
The SFA will be engaging in other activities besides scuba-diving and that includes sky-diving, mountain trekking, combat shooting, unarmed combat, rock climbing, white water rafting, skiing and snow craft, jungle survival and biking.
“We do not go there for a day or two, we travel for a much longer period, in which life skills come to you while you are having fun,” he adds.
The trend of package tours is high in India and generates a revenue of 73 per cent in this segment whereas individual/spot bookings account for the rest 27 per cent, according to a 2015 Nielsen report.
With travelling preferences of people evolving around the world, exciting and sometimes risky experiences are becoming popular. Adventure trips have become a trend for youngsters.
Adventure trips are also popular as a revenue generation avenue for youth who earn money by blogging, travel photography and making travel seriesfor online consumption.
There is also a rise in the preference of offbeat travel among people aged above 50. Still, most adventure travellers were in the age group of 20-30 years in 2017, a study by Thrillophilia states. Whereas, leisure travel, to a large extent, is not as popular as before.
The SFA sees this as an opportunity. The company has opened its wings to this new and growing sector in an attempt to tell people what's more to this thing called 'adventure.' High peaks and mountains, challenging rivers and getting close to wild animals, that fascinating. But safety is equally important and this isn't something to prepare you for the battle or war. So, SFA ensures that the training will be a softer version that of a military and gives a picture of adventure, Jacob explains.
"We are qualified rescue divers as also on the surface, or under-water or any kind of situation. So, we will be the first responder to any emergency. In case of severe injuries, doctors will be on standby,” Paul says.
Jacob, 39, is an ex-army man trained in sky diving, scuba diving and high-altitude trekking and is professionally certified for it. He also specialises in precision shooting, unarmed combat and outdoor rescue. He was influenced by his military experiences and the people he met outside. They were learning these skills to the next level and had a big impact on him.
As for the 33-year-old Paul, his forte is combat underwater diving with 15-years of experience in the Marco, Navy.
Raised in the mountains of Sikkim, Paul had an interesting childhood. Not having phones led him outdoors. He with his friends started exploring things and did trekking as a recreational activity. That’s how he got his ‘adventure quotient.’
“With the Navy, I had the opportunity to learn scuba-diving, sky-diving as special forces activities. This has given me the opportunity to pursue this career,” says Paul.
People might think this as dangerous and risk-taking but for the SFA, it is where their peace lies. "The best and calmest place for me right now is under the water. Life is simple in air when I'm flying. Same is for when I'm on land. So, do you feel danger when you are doing your simplest and calmest thing, wherever you are?” asks Paul .
Every story has two sides as there are two sides to every coin. This tour is supposed to be fun. “But it’s time-consuming and requires quite a lot of money,” he adds.
Jacob though has a different approach. "I like to balance between the two worlds, both my family life and travelling. For me it's about networking and bringing the prices down. Also there's no insurance, which is a drawback in this field,” he adds.
