Pavane Mann, Executive Director
The outdoors has featured as a constant in Pavane’s life, from childhood exploring to creating and running her own adventure company for well over two decades. Pavane's 30 years of professional adventure experience includes planning, facilitating and heading adventure programs across various fields including jeep safaris, rafting tours, long distance treks, adventure camps and more.
Pavane has been at the forefront of creating experential programs at OBI-H since 2011. She has conducted The Duke of Edinburgh Award Programs for various schools in India and helmed executive and corporate training workshops . She was part of the team that compiled the Wilderness Code for Uttarakhand and has written a paper on environmental and sustainable development. |
Dilshad Master, Director
Dilshad has been on the board of Outward Bound India since its inception in 2005. She followed a standard corporate life in broadcasting for over 22 years. As the Senior Vice President at STAR TV she was part of the core team that launched the STAR brand in India. She later worked with National Geographic Channel as Senior Vice President Programming and Marketing and also spear-headed the launch of The History Channel in India. As COO of UTV Entertainment, Dilshad learnt some hard start-up lessons that she will never forget - launching two channels from the basement of a "little shop in Noida", building the the team from 1 to 60 within two months, and then having to work towards dissolving the team and merging UTV business during the recession of 2008.
After television, Dilshad followed her next big passion - adventure travel. She was the first person to lead a civilian trek to the Siachen Glacier in August 2016, has led multiple treks to Everest Base Camp and other popular routes in Nepal and India, is passionate about white-water rafting and rates the Zanskar Rafting Expedition as one of her best experiences ever. Today, Dilshad is focused on Outward Bound India-Himalaya and is working to lead its growth in India. The combination of a corporate India background and her adventure experiences puts her in the perfect place to design leadership training programs for senior executives. Dilshad is also a motivational speaker and speaks on topics closest to her heart. Being a cancer survivor, her main focus is to urge middle and senior level professionals to step out of the comfort zones and into the wilderness to understand leadership and responsibility, team work and personal growth, aspirations and ambitions. |
Ajay Kandari, Facilitator & Instructor
Ajay has been an experiential educator since 2004 and has conducted outdoor programs with various corporate houses and institutions including Maruti Suzuki, Microsoft, Hero Moto Corp, Tata Motors, SAIL, PepsiCo, Reebok, SBI, Corporation Bank, IIM Lucknow, etc. and has also delivered programs in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand and Dubai.
Ajay has completed his mountaineering course from NIM, Uttarkashi and has a white water rafting course under his belt. He successfully completed the “21 Days Classic Challenge” – a program conducted by Outward Bound Singapore that even the most experienced outdoor adventurers would find challenging. Our Safety and Risk Management expert, Ajay did his post-graduation in Tourism Management from IITTM (Ministry of Tourism), Gwalior. |
Komal Gandhi, Facilitator
Komal is a life and executive coach, learning & development consultant and a facilitator with over 15 years of experience. She is the founder of a collaborative space called ‘Management by Arts’ which offers learning, development and engagement solutions for organisations using various art forms. Komal is an experiential learning specialist and her primary area of work is in designing and facilitating experiential learning solutions.
Komal lends her expertise to design customized Outward Bound courses for middle and senior-level professionals. Her areas of specialization include: Creativity and Innovation at the Workplace, Leadership Development and Journeys, and Team Development. She combines experiential learning tools and methodologies from the outdoors, arts, and psychometric, to facilitate her workshops. |
Kushal Soni, Facilitator & Instructor
Kushal is one of Outward Bound India Himalaya's most experienced facilitators. He is an outdoor instructor and has been teaching extreme outdoor survival, bush-craft, wilderness backpack and white water rafting since 2012. Kushal has led expeditions for OBIH since 2012 and is equally good with children and corporate executives (according to him the former fare way better in the wilderness!) His training at Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, backed by an Outdoor Educator Course in rock, river and snow module makes him the perfect person to lead Outward Bound courses in the wilderness.
Kushal earlier worked with INME and Youreka and was one of the key persons involved in content development, creating experiential learning modules for schools and corporates. Kushal holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Sales and Marketing Management from NIS (National Institute of Sales) Ltd and has trekked Hampta Pass, Gangotri-Tapovan, Ruinsara Taal, Dayara Bugyal, Jalori Pass and Kedarkantha (summer and winter treks). |
Ajay Bhola, Facilitator and Instructor
Ajay is one of Outward Bound India-Himalaya's most experienced facilitators. He is an outdoor instructor and has been teaching extreme outdoor survival, bushcraft, wilderness backpack, white water rafting & marksmanship since 2007. Ajay has led expeditions for OBIH since 2013 and works with teenagers, young adults and corporate executives. A certified trainer from NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School in Lander, Wyoming) Ajay earlier worked with iDiscoveri and Youreka and was one of the key persons involved in content development, creating experiential learning modules for schools.
Ajay holds a Bachelor's Degree in Geography, a Master’s Degree in Defense Studies, and a PG Diploma in Ecology and Environment. He has cycled from Everest Base Camp to Kanyakumari touching Bangladesh & Pakistan borders, a total of 11,906 KM in 63 days that set an India & world record for cycling longest distance in the shortest time! |
Mahendra Bhahadur Thapa, Instructor - Land Activities
Mahendra is an experienced mountaineer having completed his basic and advanced mountaineering courses at Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi. He is an experienced trekking leader with over 15 years of trekking experience under his belt, has done his first aid course from Indian Mountaineering Foundation and is constantly upgrading his skill sets in safety and rescue on an annual basis.
Mahendra list of treks is impressive and often makes you wonder how a young pahadi like him got to do so much in such little time! He has trekked extensively in Uttarakhand, Himachal, Kashmir and Ladakh. He has led the trek to Kuari Pass over eight times, has been doing the Roop Kund trek since 2006, and has successfully trekked to Tosh Glacier, Goumukh, Dayra Bugyal, Dodital, Tungnath, Great Lakes Trek and the Hampta Pass Trek multiple times. He's trekked to the Indrahar Pass, the Siachen Glacier and there's rarely an Outward Bound course without Mahender leading from the front. He's extremely patient with young kids and can be equally tough with adults and professionals often making them stretch themselves beyond what they thought was humanly possible! |
Raju Thapa, Instructor - Land Activities
Raju works well with children - they enjoy his wacky sense of humour and his crazy antics. While Raju looks like he's having the time of his life, he keeps an eagle eye out to ensure that the children are toeing the line, keeping their safety and security paramount.
Raju is great company on expeditions. Not only can he carry more than his own body weight in his gear, he knows the jungle routes well. His campfire stories are captivating and his high spirits in tough times are inspirational. |
Arjun Kumar Raya, Instructor, Water-based Programs
Arjun is one of the most experienced rafting guides on the Ganga and Zanskar river with 17 years paddling under his belt. His river guiding list includes Ganga, Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Zanskar and Bharamputra - to name just a few. Arjun has twice led expeditions from the source of the Ganga at Gangotri to where it meets the sea at Gangasagar - a record in itself.
Trained to an international standard in technical rafting skills, white water rescue and first aid, his knowledge is invaluable to safe, efficient and successful OBIH programs. Not to mention his amazing culinary skills that helps fill empty paddling stomachs! |