Ajeet Bajaj

Ajeet Bajaj
At South Pole
Born 1965
Occupation Adventure sports
Spouse(s) Shirly Thomas Bajaj
Children Deeya Suzannah Bajaj and Meghna Ann Bajaj
Parent(s) Jai Dev Bajaj and Satya Bajaj

Ajeet Bajaj (born 1965) is the first Indian to ski to the North Pole and the South Pole within a year.

Early life

Bajaj (also affectionately known as "Bagage") completed his schooling at Lawrence School, Sanawar.[1] At the age of twelve he climbed the 12,000-foot-high (3,700 m) Friendship Peak near Kullu, and then at sixteen years old he ascended the Hanuman Tibba, a 20,000-foot-high (6,100 m) peak. He graduated from St. Stephen's College, Delhi.[2]

Adventure

Bajaj became the first Indian to have skied to both the North Pole[3] and the South Pole, and has undertaken travel in multiple countries spanning all seven continents. In July 2008 he kayaked along the coast of Greenland as part of an Indo-American team. The expedition’s aim was to create awareness about the effect of global warming on glaciers.

Bajaj has won a bronze medal in the national games for kayaking and a silver and two bronze medals in international rafting competitions in Switzerland and Siberia, Russia. He has captained an international team for world white water championships in Turkey.

Bajaj qualified as a climbing instructor at the French National School of Alpinism and Skiing and has experience in a host of other adventure sports including skiing, rock climbing, snorkeling, sea kayaking, scuba diving, bungee jumping and canyoning.


He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and is former President of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India. [4]

He with his daughter Deeya climbed Mount Everest on the 16th of May, 2018. Making them the first father - daughter duo to do so.

Achievements

  • Chief Instructor for kayaking course conducted for instructors of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, India.
  • Course director for River Running courses conducted for the National Institute of Water Sports, Goa, India.
  • Leader of first descent expeditions on the Nubra, Shyok, Ravi and Beas rivers in India.
  • Leader of rafting expeditions on Indus, Zanskar, Yamuna, Bhagirathi, Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers for the Indian Army. First descent by Kayak of upper Yamuna.
  • Expedition leader and chief instructor for forty-five river running courses and expeditions for the Indian Armed Forces. Many of these expeditions were on uncharted rivers in the Himalayas.
  • Joint leader Indo-U.S. Kali-Sarda River Expedition (first descent) – 1987.
  • Member of a number of international expeditions in India:
  • Indo-U.S. Uttar Ganga Expedition (1984) in the upper reaches of River Ganges in the Himalayas.
  • Member Indo-Canadian Sutlej Expedition (1985) which undertook first descent of the Sutlej River in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, India
  • Member Indo-Canadian Teesta expedition (first descent) – 1986 in Northeastern part of India.
  • Technical Director for Four Square International White Water Challenge 2001, India.
  • Former President, Indian Association of Professional Rafting Outfitters of India.
  • Member of executive committee *Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.
  • Awarded PadmaShri in 2012[5]

References

  1. ↑ Ajeet Bajaj says the school motto kept him going Archived 17 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine. at expressindia.com
  2. ↑ https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/author/ajeetbajaj
  3. ↑ Bindu Shajan Perappadan (7 May 2005). "Honoured for conquering North Pole". The Hindu. Retrieved 2011-11-07.
  4. ↑ https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/author/ajeetbajaj
  5. ↑ "Padma Awards". pib. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.

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