| Team GIO |
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Team GIO together have a wealth of Himalayan knowledge and experience. Each team member not only enjoys his work but also is passionate about it & strives to excel in their individual activities. The commonality that runs through all members of our team is the drive to provide a fulfilling and safe holiday to our clients.
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| The team is led by the company's founder, Nalin Khanduri. He has always been an adventure sports enthusiast and has an experience of more than 18 years in this field. He has trekked & climbed a major part of the Garhwal & Kumaon Himalayas and Ladakh both as a part of groups and also as a group leader. Apart from trekking he has been involved in river expeditions on most of the Indian rivers. A chemical engineer he also holds an MBA degree from NMIMS, Mumbai, he worked with Hindustan Unilever and Reliance Industries before founding GIO. He uses his experience and inherent planning skills to infuse ideas for both the divisions and is involved hands-on in the functioning of the whole company. |
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R Balakrishnan |
| An MBA from NMIMS, Mumbai, and having worked with Geoffrey Manners as a Brand Manager, he is an invaluable asset to the Adventure division. He is the head of GIO Adventures where his brilliant organisational skills come in handy. Bala and his team have together run many successful programs all over the country. An adventure freak, he is a walking encyclopedia of the Himalayas. If you get lost in the mountains next time, don't call rescue, call Mr. Balakrishnan. |
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Bharat Kathait |
An excellent river guide with 14 years experience, he heads the field operations from our Dehradun office. While being entirely responsible for the management and maintenance of all our camps he has the additional responsibility of being the Safety Manager for all our outdoor activities. He has an experience of more than 15 years in this field. He honed his skills at India's premier mountaineering institute – Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi. He has scaled a number of peaks including Satopanth, Swarga-Rohini, etc. He has trekked a major part of the Himalayas and is familiar with the terrain. |
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Deepak Rawat |
He is a Chemical engineer from HBTI, Kanpur, and heads our Operations team. Born and bred in the mountains he has the ability to fix anything – be it a faulty tent zip or a malfunctioning generator. He has been instrumental in setting up all our camps, including getting the land to planning and implementing the set up. He is a master at logistics for camping and trekking. |
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Shubham Basu |
| A product of IIT and Vanderbilt University, USA, Shubham worked in strategy with the Deutsche Bank at New York City, before he picked Himalayas as his passion. An author and a freelance columnist, he finds his energy Mountain Biking around the Himalayas. He also specializes in Downhill Mountain Biking and enjoys Skiing and Ice Skating, apart from long hauls on trekking on glaciers. He is an alum from Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling. At GIO Adventures he heads the web strategy initiative. |
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Sujata Seshan |
An MCA from Pune University she worked for over a decade in the US, before heading back to what she likes most - Mountains. Sujata is a veteran in trekking and hiking. Her prolonged stint with O'Melveny and Myers LLP toughened her in mind and soul and brought her closer to the physical realities of Mother Earth. At GIO Adventures she heads a division called KSHITIJ which deals with Adventure Learning Programs for Children. |
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Ravi Rai |
Ravi Rai heads the water activity team. He has a river running experience of 14 years and has rafted on all major rivers in India. He is as versed with the rocks as he is with the white waters. An alum from HMI, he is the secretary to GIO Adventures safety panel with all the experience he has. He has conducted numerous expeditions on Zanskar, Upper Alaknanda, Ramganga, Sutlej, Tons, Ganges, Teesta and Rangit. He has done numerous runs with teams from the Indian Navy. |
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Beeru |
A senior River Guide, he handles river stretches all across the Himalayas. If you are looking for him and can't find him, go look for him in any of the rivers. He was the Indian National Kayaking Champion in 2007. He also specializes in Kayak Cliff Jumps. He has kayaked all over Bhagirathi, Ganges, Alaknanda, Tons, Sutlej, Teesta, Rangit, etc.
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Bachan Singh Rana |
An advanced mountaineer from NIM, he has been Rafting/Kayaking and guiding in the rivers since the last 5 yrs. You won't fail to notice his warmth and enthusiasm. You can count on his enthusiasm when you feel that your muscles are giving way. He has been all over Upper Alaknanda, Ganges, Bhagirathi, Ramganga, Kali, Zanskar and Tons.
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Shreechand Rana |
An alum from the NIM, Sreechand is a mountain goat. If you are on an expedition with him, he will make sure that you scale the peak. He has been leading teams with GIO as a Trekking Guide ever since GIO knew him. He has been all over the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, Himachal, Ladakh and Sikkim.
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Chain Singh |
Master at rope skills, he is a graduate from NIM. He knows all about climbing. Watch him climb a wall once, if you are not close enough, you might mistake him for a climbing machine.
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Narinder Rawat
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With 10 yrs of rafting behind him, he can raft with his eyes closed. The sound is enough for him. Claim him as a river guide when you raft next with GIO, you might want to raft with your eyes closed too.
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Onkar
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A juggler with the raft, keep your eyes open when you find him kayaking. No replays, if you miss him performing the tricks, you will miss all the stories you might have carried back home. A professional at safety, he has been leading the safety kayaks since the last five years with GIO Adventures.
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Faraz Masood |
An MBA and a veteran in people skills, Faraz worked with Monster.com and Indian Express leading teams in Corporate Sales. At GIO Adventures he spearheads our marketing efforts. |
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Sachin Rawat |
A Mountaineer from NIM, he has spent considerable time learning professional yoga. If he isn't telling a guest on phone about our Himalayas, he is perhaps practicing yoga in the Mountains.
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