ROCK CLIMBING COURSE FOR NCC CADETS OF IIT KANPUR AT NAINITAL

The Rock climbing course for forty NCC Cadets of IIT, Kanpur was held from 03 May to 09 May 2004. The Cadets were accompanied by Lt Col D K Routray, the commanding officer of 2 UP CTR, NCC IIT, Kanpur and other instructors. This activity is conducted every year for the NCC Cadets as part of the adventure activities for youth. The entire cost of the activity is borne by IIT, Kanpur. Over the years, it has been found that there has been a considerable increase in interest amongst the young Cadets towards adventure sports such as Para sailing, trekking, rock climbing etc. The course at Nainital is conducted by the Nainital mountaineering Club which a number of experienced instructors who have taken part in mountaineering expeditions at the national and international levels.

For the students of IIT, who are busy in their academic curriculum, such adventure activities are a welcome change. Says Cadet Rohit Karan, "From Rock Climbing to Trekking to sight seeing, we did everything. The beauty of the environment blow away the tension of a torrid academic session". The rock climbing course taught the cadets about various aspects of life. The most important thing it taught the cadets was to face the challenges of life in a open manner. Cadet Hingway Anand Says, "Sometimes the large rock faces seemed dangerous but after a while, we realized that if one followed the basics that was being taught by our instructors then it was very safe", The entire training taught the cadets to be disciplined in their lives, Says Cadets Safir Ahmed, "The experience gave me the idea as to how to be disciplined. I do not know if I am going to be a part of the defence forces in the future or not but whatever I have learnt in my NCC training, I will try to implement it is my general life".

In addition, visit for the cadets were also organized to various places like Bhimta, Nauku Chia Tal, Ranikhet, Jim Corbett museum etc. These visits exposed the cadets to the environmental degradation of the land and taught the cadets about the flora and fauna of the region.