Who can be a better teacher than nature? Outdoor camp in Mangaluru lets students ponder the thought

Mangaluru/Mudigere: The shrill sound of a whistle pierces through the silent chilly morning air, forcing even those in deep slumber to sit bolt-upright in bed.

Rangers from Kavoor Government First Grade college at the end of summit.

Within a few minutes after the final whistle had been sounded, all 23 Rangers from Government First Grade college (GFGC) in Kavoor had assembled at the main hall in the house. They all had a sense of eagerness to miss any adventurous activities that was briefed to them before they had retired to bed on the previous night.

As the melodious chirping of birds ushered in the dawn, Suhan Sudhakar from Bowline Adventure camp highlighted activities being planned to help students dispel their irrational fears and re-discover themselves during their stay.

Suhan Sudhakar from Bowline Adventure camp shares techniques of tying life-saving knots to Rangers from Kavoor Government First Grade college (GFGC) at a two-day camp organised in Moolarahalli near Mudigere

For the next two days, Rangers under the guidance of Suhan, Nithin, and Ashwath learned about different types of rope knots, techniques of rappelling, bouldering, surviving skills, team building activities, rock climbing, ascending and descending techniques using ropes. The residential adventure camp, in the midst of a picturesque valley in Moolarahalli, about 17 km from Mudigere in the Chikmagalur district, aims at helping students learn skills to save their lives and those of others during any disaster, Suhan said.

Suhan, a native of Suratkal, says that within a few weeks of launching the adventure camp, over 100 students from Dakshina Kannada and other districts had undergone training at their adventure camp.

NCC cadets from Sharada Vidyalaya rappelling across a stream near Bowline Adventure camp in Mudigere.

Suhan is particularly keen on enrolling students who are studying between fourth to eighth standard in government schools. “At that stage, students are like a sponge, eager to assimilate knowledge,” he said. We have found that such outdoor camps improves mental well-being and even removes negative thoughts like committing suicide," he said.

Suhan has ensured high priority to the safety of students in camps by procuring the highest standard equipment certified by UIAA (Union of International Alpine Association). He also has mountaineering certifications from prestigious state and national institutions (GETHNAA, NIM, JIM and WS).

Mangaluru-based Sharada Vidyalaya Principal Dayanand Kateel, who had attended the camp with 64 NCC cadets, informs that 360-degree view of mountains, at the end of trekking to a mountain top, was definitely a memorable moment at the camp.

“The mist at the top cleared offering a breathtaking view of Shola mountains,” recollected Aarna Sudhindra, a student of ninth standard and an NCC cadet in Sharada Vidyalaya. Amruth, from the same school, said by rappelling down from a mountain he overcame his initial fears of falling. "While rappelling, we had to secure life-saving knots ourselves, Aarna stressed. Amruth and Aarna vouched that off-road driving was their first time experience. Kaveri, a ranger and final year degree student of Kavoor GFGC, said the camp was nothing like she had experienced before.

Rakshitha, a final year degree student from the same college, said the experience in the camp had boosted her self-confidence.

Suhan says: "Your mental health is like a canvas, and you hold the brush; nurture it with kindness and color it with self-care. Embrace the power within to paint a vibrant life."