“I have never felt as happy on Earth as when I’m getting closer to the sky,” words which describe a passionate Uttarakhandi mountaineer who has scaled every possible peak in the country. Bringing name and fame to the State has been easy for Praveen Rangar but what has been difficult for the young mountaineer is to get funds from the State government for his Mission Everest.
Since sixteen, 34 year old Praveen Rangar has been scaling peaks, breaking old records and setting new ones as he climbs onwards and upwards. A national level player, today, Praveen runs a rafting camp to earn a living.
Praveen has achieved more than what some of us dream off :
- He completed his mountaineering course from Uttarakashi Mountaineering Institute.
- 2009 he completed a snow-skiing course from Gulmarg in Jammu & Kashmir.
- After receiving an International Mountaineering Certificate he has summited Trishul, Gangotri, Draupdi ka daanda and another 21 peaks.
- The first in the State to hold a Master’s Degree in water-skiing.
- A water-skiing course from Srinagar, J&K.
- Twice participated in National Rafting competitions.
- A national Kayaking Coach.
- A guest instructor at various Mountaineering Institutes in India
Talking to Newspost about his achievement, Praveen tells us how he started young, “I have taken part in all adventure sports which the country has to offer and this feat alone, puts me at par with international sportsmen.’ Without mincing his words he adds, ” when it comes to any kind of assistance from the State, let me tell you I have managed to scale mountains and I assure you it’s harder to battle official indifference than to battle with mountains.“
Despite having won laurels and putting Uttarakhand on the map for adventure sports, Praveen highlights how due to lack of funds passionate people like himself have to take up regular jobs when they are capable of much more.
Recently the State Government gave a thumbs-up to promoting adventure sports in the State and people like Praveen Rangar could well be the poster-boy or ambassador for this initiative, but the apathy of the administration for honing such talent goes on to show how serious they are about promoting State talent.
For now a budget of 20-25 lakh is what it takes for high level mountaineering and if the State Government fails to assist Praveen Rangar in any which way, then we will definitely loose an opportunity of having the best amongst us put Uttarakhand on the top of the world @ Everest.
