THE SILENT HEROES 2017
Give us a chance, But not charity
It is a success story of Fifteen Speech and hearing impaired and two socially deprived who ascended the Mountains in the Himalayan Range in Manali Region in Himachal Pradesh from April 14-29, 2017.
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Yuvaraj |
When you see a deaf and dumb, don’t show your sympathy but give him a opportunity and he will show the world that given a chance even he can also change the world says Master Yuvaraj of Bangalore District (Speech and Hearing impaired student at Sai Ranga free school for Deaf and Dumb, Mysore)
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| Akhila and Madhav |
The project started making the rounds in the
air in the June 2016 when Dr Madhav and Dr Akhila the Doctor couple who thought
of this noble gesture for the Speech and hearing impaired, but personally I was
little reluctant to take the assignments as it had merits and demerits.
I had quit the earlier organization and I
didn’t had a organization or banner to do this project and the toll will be
more on one individual as far as planning, fund raising, and execution which
itself is a task, which can hinder the personal life too.
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| Solanki, Suma and Anil |
But I think Doctor had committed to his wife that a History of 2006 will be repeated for her and he coaxed us so much that we were forced to form a trust under the name TIGER ADVENTURE FOUNDATION with Anil, Suma and Solanki as founder of the trust and we got it registered on the Sept 17, 2016.
The Misadventure didn’t stop there, the
institution what we had Zeroed on The National Association for Blind (NAB) an
institute where we had done in-numerous projects for them in last
16 years. When we went the proposal to Mr. Srinivias, Manager of the institute he readily agreed. We went there and showed them big dreams about the Himalayan expedition, then we started the process of selection in consultation with the NAB-Manager Mr. Srinivas. Then me and Anil Kumar did little
bit of briefing about the project and did physical activities like running,
frog jump and selected 5 boys and 5 girls students and 4 reserve in case
someone drops. We gave them orientation about the program and asked the
students to get back and talk to their parents and take a confirmation and we asked Srinivas to conduct a meeting between the institute, Parents and Tiger Adventure foundation so that we can brief them about the project.
Alas! But something
else was waiting for us as we called him he said he will manage the parents meeting and our presence is not required and when we called the institute the lady at the other side told us to call the manager. we called the manager he said in simple words that parents are not interested and he shelved the call.
Thinking that project is up as the selection of the boys was done, by that time we had already taken a token donation from Avinash, Sandeep and vinay and Doctors cheque in transit and it was a big shock for us and i tried to visit the school all the staff were tight-lipped about the decision. Then i met the Manager he said parents are not interested so we can't permit.
When i came home i was little shattered with the response and people had already contributed on our request was totally dumb struck with the response of the manager.
I met Doctor madhav and conveyed the decision and he was not happy and he said lets go and talk to the students and manager once again. But reluctantly he assembled the boys and we asked the youths they were all ready and more than agreeing to convince their parents to go for the expedition. So we once again decided to call the parents and the students all agreed to call their parents.
There is a saying in Kannada "Devar kotru Pujari kodala" similarly parents, students were in the optimistic mood, but when we finished the meeting and came out the manager said, he put the onus on the that Management is not interested, later when we said we shall talk to the management and tell them. He came out with one more reason and said in the last, sorry sir i am not interested. See the malafide intentions of the person had this been conveyed to us earlier we would not have done so much of home work in their institution and wasted our time and resources. We left the place disheartened as all our efforts for the past one month in October 2016 had gone to drain.
Thinking that project is up as the selection of the boys was done, by that time we had already taken a token donation from Avinash, Sandeep and vinay and Doctors cheque in transit and it was a big shock for us and i tried to visit the school all the staff were tight-lipped about the decision. Then i met the Manager he said parents are not interested so we can't permit.
When i came home i was little shattered with the response and people had already contributed on our request was totally dumb struck with the response of the manager.
I met Doctor madhav and conveyed the decision and he was not happy and he said lets go and talk to the students and manager once again. But reluctantly he assembled the boys and we asked the youths they were all ready and more than agreeing to convince their parents to go for the expedition. So we once again decided to call the parents and the students all agreed to call their parents.
There is a saying in Kannada "Devar kotru Pujari kodala" similarly parents, students were in the optimistic mood, but when we finished the meeting and came out the manager said, he put the onus on the that Management is not interested, later when we said we shall talk to the management and tell them. He came out with one more reason and said in the last, sorry sir i am not interested. See the malafide intentions of the person had this been conveyed to us earlier we would not have done so much of home work in their institution and wasted our time and resources. We left the place disheartened as all our efforts for the past one month in October 2016 had gone to drain.
Though we were disheartened but contribution of the people and the faith with what they have contributed we had to live to their expectation. Dr Madhav told what next, i said never
worry we shall go to another place and let’s try our luck and we landed in Sai
Ranga free school for deaf and dumb, Bannimantappa, Mysore run by Sai Baba devotees.
We entered there and saw Mr.Shankar and Ms Paravati ponappa and had a chat with them and explained the project and they agreed to extend their support and they said in principal it can be done but a approval from the governing council is required to make it official.
We entered there and saw Mr.Shankar and Ms Paravati ponappa and had a chat with them and explained the project and they agreed to extend their support and they said in principal it can be done but a approval from the governing council is required to make it official.
We again started the home work with the
selection of the students. We followed the same formality for the students
for the expedition which was led by Anil, Dr Madhav and Solanki. we zeroed on the weakest participants and here
the Principal Raghunath Gowda assured that he will convince the parents for
this program. So we sighed a relief and he still said you please come and
explain the program to them personally, We roped in Mr.Muniraju a
retired employee of NAB and who was a catalyst in explaining the program and
install confidence in the students and the parents about the program and
rather he was there to vouch for integrity and credibility of we trio, Ha ha
ha.
Demonetization effect: Misadventure of Mr. Narendra Modi,
in November took the toll on the project
as people who were supposed to donate the money in cash but we were reluctant to take it due to reason best know to all. Fearing the unwanted
answers to be addressed to the Department who will send the notice to us and we
will have to leave our personal job and run behind the Charted Accountant and
the department to address the issues and when asked we will be forced to reveal
the names of the donors. So we stopped the project for a while and just went
slow on the same. We were accepting donation only vide RTGS or cheque only
which continued till the last donation.
One Eye Jack: We see the people who run the institution
have their own reservation when we go with the project as they see us with malafide intention. Rather i wish when they come with
the project its better what I felt in due course of the whole program.We were running short of time and the airline fare was also in the ascending mode but despite our reminders to the institution, they took their own sweet time to give the letter and the delay in giving the letter from the institution costed us whopping twenty four thousand more.
Then after all the formalities got over we gave them the Application form to the institution to give the indemnity certificate and medical certificate to be signed by the students, Medical officer and the head of the institution.
But alas the medical certificate and the indemnity certificate took its own sweet time to traverse back home rather you can say, it came back after almost four months time or rather you can say almost 5 days before the expedition, which rendered us helpless in taking the insurance policy too. That was the efficiency and the cooperation of the Principal and the management.
Legal point of view it was mandatory to take a insurance but it rendered us helpless and we had to take a big risk of doing the program without the insurance coverage, thanks to Mr Raghunath Gowda for his inefficiency which crippled us literally but i kept all of them under darkness and did the program bluntly hoping that every thing will go smoothly.
In March the training session started with the students going for Pre Training session to various places around mysore like chamundi hills, Kukarhalli lake, Gangotri campus, Bal Bhavan, Run uptill nandi Hills, Josh Run and which were coordinated by Pankaj Mallick, Sharath, Rithik Raghavendra and Vinay Singh, with the josh run been led by Mr Karthik KM as flag bearer.
In the initial stage budget was planned for 10 people and in the end it became almost 18 people, so budget also went from 5.5 lakh
to 7.35 lakh and almost 96 people cutting across the lines contributed for the project they included our trekkers, friends, family members and only industry to stand by us was Triveni Engg Private Limited. Most of the
individuals who contributed are our trekkers who have trekked with us and few
students have contributed from their pocket money.
Mr.Harsha of K R Nagar of Vidya Vardhaka college of Engg contributed Rs10,000 Rupees which really sent shivers in our spine for his magnanimity.
Mr.Harsha of K R Nagar of Vidya Vardhaka college of Engg contributed Rs10,000 Rupees which really sent shivers in our spine for his magnanimity.
His Excellency Shri Vajubhai Vala, Governor of Karnataka Flagged of the expedition and speaking on the occasion he appreciated the efforts of the TAF for their wonderful gesture.
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Mr.Ravi IPS, Additional Commissioner of Police, Bangalore wishing the team too. |
On Saturday the April 8, 2017, we sought the blessing from Lord Manjunatheshwara of Dharmasthala and we met Dr Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari, Shree Kshetra, Dharmasthala and he released the brochure and blessed the project with munificent contribution too.
The D-Day was nearing and all the boys were bubbling with enthusiasm to see the aircraft, Airport and other facilities on the airport. They board the bus to Bangalore on 14th April 2017 amid hues of the parents who were wishing their wards giving goodies etc and the bus rolled towards the Bangalore and as the participants arrived in the airport the participants were taken over by the Karnataka Police who made all arrangements for their check-in and security check and we settled down in the corridors of the airport and the special kids were going around with the anxiety looking around and around and in the end they came to the respective gates and boarded the aircraft. It’s worth seeing the happiness on the face of the special kids a sense of contentment for us for all the misery we underwent before we came here, I just patted my back said it’s worth the pain we took to see the smile on their faces.
We landed in the midnight it was like 15th
April 2017 were in our friend Mr.Tiwari had already come and taken charge of
the responsibility and was doing his job perfect to the demand and he put
everybody in a 9 taxi and led them to Vishva Yuvak Kendra and made them
comfortable in AC Dorms with clean white bed sheet which was a stunning
experience for them and one person came asked was this for them or for others
we had to tell them this is the facility for them and one person was almost in
tears he said all this we never dream't in life like travel by air, taxi, and
now AC dorms etc. we just said don’t bother it’s all there in life as
experience.
In the morning around at 7am the bus was there to take them to lawns of the Rastrapathi Bhavan to show them the change of guard ceremony and arrangements made their again stunned them like they were treated nothing less than VIP’s in the place followed by Breakfast which they didn’t enjoyed as Bread, butter, jam, cutlet and tea looked like for the patient, hahahaha but later on they took the plates and gulped it to the fullest and we then proceeded to Visit to Rastrapathi Bhavan were in they were taken inside and shown the all columns of the Bhavan and with a visit to museum too and followed by lunch at Andhra Bhavan and after that they all moved to Manali in Volvo which was again different experience for them.
We served them light dinner like Veg Sandwich
and Plantain and everybody slept cozy in the bus to get up only at Base camp
next day morning.
On April 16 when we landed the trekkers had
few hours of rest and were taken to the Roerich art gallery and Krishna temple
in the evening for the acclimatization walk and we all settled down for the day
in tents with the cozy sleeping bags.
On April 17 our trekkers got up for the morning
walk/running and we came back with had breakfast and went for rock climbing and
rappelling and we came back had yummy lunch and packed our luggage for the trek
On April 18 we boarded a bus for bijali Mahadev, and we landed at the foot step and started trekking and we were moving at a study pace and it was almost we reached the Bijali Mahadev in next 2 and half hours and we enjoyed the serene beauty of the nature and we worshipped to Lord shiva there and we moved to the Sola Tanki and we camped, enjoyed the star nights of the Kullu valley.
On April 19 we trekked to Matikochar and it
was amidst the pine forest, Valley, ridge and snow walk, steep ascend etc it
was rather total asked dreams for any trekker.
On April 20 we trekked to Dhora nala and came
across various patches of snow, we crisscrossed,slipped and enjoyed every bit
of it and we reached the summit camp.
On April 21 we got up at 2.30am and geared up for the finale to the summit, we just munched some breakfast and packed some dry lunch like burger, fruity, dry fruits etc and left the camp at 4.30am and the ascent started with full josh in the trekkers, one trekkers from kerala Master Aditya Gupta led the team to the ascent and we finally all of us summitted at the Rumtu top at 7.21am. It was quite tiring but satisfying as the dream what we saw was accomplished with satisfaction.
Tears rolled down in the eyes of the senior
most trekker Ms Rani narendra who was uncontrollable, it was a sight of happiness,
accomplishment on the face of the lady that even at 65 years of age I could do
it.
Mr.Raghunath Gowda and his team of special
children rejoiced the time with hugging each other on the summit, it was feast
for us as we could see the joy in them and it was just our contentment that a
effort which was started in july 2016 could bear the fruit in April 2017.
Dr.Ms.Akhila & Dr Madhav Deshpande who
had dream’t about the project were there to see all the joyous moment, they shared
the moment with the special children by distributing sweets and taking pictures
on the summit.
Mr.Devendra Tiwari, Mr.Sharath N and
Mr.Pankaj Mallick who took all the initiative of mustering the support for the
project just said this is what is called contentment? They were the people who
prepared them physically and shared their time with the participants and organized
the program to the best of the abilities.
After spending few minutes the team started
facing the wildest of the weather, with blizzard, snowfall etc so we moved
steadily to the next camp Nayatapru.
We crisscrossed various stretches of snow and
had all fun sliding in the snow to cut short the distance and few of them had
proper slide were as few of them tumbled down, it was all fun walking on the
snow.
As though lord Indra was waiting for us to
finish the expedition and the down pour was huge in the night with few trekkers
shouting for help in the night and we tell them it’s only wind and rain not to
worry.
On April 22 we got up and we started to
descent to Base camp and we reached amidst the hue and celebration been organized
by our advance party (Karan, Pankaj and Tiwari) who took all the pain to give
the batch a befitting welcome on their arrival with milk cake.
On April 23 we sent all the trekkers to the Vashist
to see the hot water springs, and obviously few of them took bath too in that
spring and later the team visited the Hadimba temple and munched “makke ki roti
and sarso ka saag” and later they visited the mall road and the day ended with
back to base camp in the evening.
On April 24 we all left the base camp with
heavy heart towards the destination Amritsar and the journey was good till
mandi after that it was mixed response as the bus had innumerable stop overs at
all places.
On April 26 we alighted at Dehradun and
visited Indian Military Academy and Forest research Institute were trekkers
were taken inside to show the various places of the academy and insight into
the academy and institute were shown to them.
He also rewarded Mr.Karan Kotian for his
wonderful services rendered to this program.
The program culminated in the raj Bhavan with
mouth watering dishes been served to the trekkers.
On April 28 we visited Parliament house, museum,
Rastrapathi Bhavan, and various places of interest in Delhi and the program
ended with media briefing at the Vishwa Yuvak Kendra who highlighted the
efforts of the silent heroes
On April 29 we all board for home sweet home
and we came back to Mysore with rousing welcome been accorded to the trekkers
by Mr.Anil Kumar, Ms Suma, and team of members it was literally a sigh of
relief for me as I hand over the responsibility and a sense of contentment that
one feather in the cap.
“All said and done when every things end on
happy note if your efforts are true”
Article by Tiger Solanki, Adventure Enthusiast.
Article by Tiger Solanki, Adventure Enthusiast.
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