Mandip Singh Soin

Adventurer and Explorer

At 14, Mandip started participating in climbing expeditions while he was studying at The Air Force School under Mr. Hari Dang, a well known educationist and a mountaineer. Later while studying at St. Stephen's College, Delhi and during his early climbing years, he started playing an activist’s role for several environmental causes along with his expeditions.

In 1979, he co-founded a national & international award winning travel company, Ibex Expeditions Pvt. Ltd, offering adventure & safari  travels in India and later also to the more discerning parts of the world.Through Ibex Expeditions, Mandip pioneered several unique journeys, such as the now famous frozen river (Chadar) trek on the Zanskar river in 1994, which paved the way for winter tourism in Ladakh and many more.

In 1988, he along with two team members, undertook a Mountain Rescue training project in North Wales, Scotland and Chamonix, under the aegis of an INLAKS Foundation grant. His team established a project called HELP (Himalayan Evacuation and Lifesaving Project) and Sir Edmund Hillary was patron of the project which helped reinforce Rescue systems in the Indian Himalaya.

He also undertook a Cycling expedition from Delhi to Kathmandu in 1981. Led the first crossing on camel back of the Indian Thar desert from Jaisalmer to the Rann of Kutch in 1986, and the first elephant back expedition in the jungles of Kerala in 1990.

In 1992, he became the first Indian to be conferred the Ness Award for expeditions and exploration by the Royal Geography Society, UK.

In 1992, he was also nominated ‘Person of the Year’ and  'India's Most Versatile Adventurer' by Limca Book of Records

In 2012, he was conferred the highest civilian honor in India for Adventure by the President of India – the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award for Lifetime Achievement.

In 2015, he became the only Indian to be honored by the “Citation of Merit” from the famous Explorers’ Club, USA, at the 111th Explorers’ Club Annual Dinner.

Environmentalist

Mandip has campaigned for the cause of environmental protection with concern for forests, wildlife, nature, communities and sustainable tourism in India. He is the Honorary Founder President of the Ecotourism Society of India, and former member of international committees such as the Pacific Asia Travel Association, Member of the World Travel Market(WTM) Responsible Tourism Day's advisory panel and a Trustee of the Himalayan Environment Trust. For the last three decades, he has visited over 50 National Parks and sanctuaries all over India, Sri Lanka, South Africa etc to assess the Ecotourism potential and lay out strategies for the Government & the tourism industry in India and worldwide. As Chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association India Chapter's Environment & Ecotourism Committee, he was successful in getting the Indian travel industry to sign an environmental pledge in 1992.

Expeditions

1. All India Rock Climbing Expedition, 1984.
2. Led first crossing of the Thar desert on camel back,1986.
3. Member first Indian ascent of Mt Meru in the Garhwal Himalaya,1986.
4. Arctic Environmental Expedition: ICEWALK International Students Expedition, under the auspices of the (UNEP) United Nations Environment Programme, 1989.
5. Led first Elephant Expedition, Kerala, 1990.
6. Led Indo British Frozen River Zanskar & Winter Expedition with Lord John Hunt as Patron, 1994. The expedition was awarded the Explorer's Club Flag and opened Tourism in winter for Ladakh.
7. International Friendship Expedition: Indo Pakistan Friendship Expedition,in the Swiss Alps under the aegis of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the World Climbing & Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) 2002. Climbed Monch and championed the cause of creating the Siachen glacier between India and Pakistan, into a peace park.
8. Led International Ecotourism & Volcano Expedition, Andaman and Nicobar Islands to present low impact tourism strategy as a sustainable option to the Government of India, 2003.
9. River Ecotourism Expedition on the Chambal River with the Madhya Pradesh Ecotourism Board to convert local bandits to Naturalists, 2007.
10. Led the Sacred Mountain Expedition, from Lhasa to Mansarovar and the Kailash trek over the Dolma in Tibet, 2007.

11. Led adventure journeys in  Bhutan 2006, Borneo 2006, Swiss Alps 2007, Arunachal Pradesh 2008, Mongolia 2009, Madagascar 2010, Peru 20

Morocco 2013, Namibia 2014, Chile 2015, Trans-Siberia 2016 and Antarctica 2017

Awards

1. 1. Best Outstanding Green Leader by PATWA, Pacific Asia Travel Writers Association 2000
   2. India's Most Versatile Adventurer' by The Limca Book of Records 1992 and 2008.
   3. The Ness Award by the Royal Geographical Society, UK 1992 for Mountaineering, Polar expeditions & encouragement of Youth exploration.
   4. The International Institute for Peace Award for the Indo-Pakistan friendship expedition in the Swiss Alps 2002
   5. Award of appreciation for contributions to Himalayan environment by Sir Edmund Hillary 2003.
   6. 'Arjuna Award of Adventure' – The Tenzing Norgay Lifetime Achievement National Award for Adventure 2012
   7. Citation of Merit Award

Appointments and Memberships

1. Founder President, The Ecotourism Society of India. (ESOI)
2. Senior Vice-President, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India. (ATOAI)
3. Trustee, Himalayan Environment Trust. (HET)
4. Member, Judging Panel, Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, World Travel and Tourism Council
5. Member, National Tourism Advisory Council, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
6. Member, Madhya Pradesh Ecotourism Development Board. (MPEDB)
7. Member, Ecotourism Society of Himachal Pradesh.
8. Member, National Committee on Tourism, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).
9. Member, Committee on Tourism of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
10. Former Member, Managing Committee, The Himalayan Club, India 1986–2012
11. Former Chairman of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award North Zone in India 1982–96.
12. Member, Governing Council, Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi.
13. Member, The Explorers Club and The American Alpine Club, USA; The Alpine Club and The Scientific Exploring Society, UK.
14. Fellow, Royal Geographical Society, UK.
15. Past chairman, South Asia Chapter, Explorers Club USA
16. Member, Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF)
17. Member, Access & Conservation Committee, Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA)
18. Member, International Committee of PATA for Sustainability and Social Responsibility.