Himalayan Volunteer Tourism concept gaining ground in Kullu

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, June 7

Himalayan Volunteer Tourism (HVT), a concept launched by local entrepreneur Ankit Sood in 2018, recently organised a 15-day website designing certificate course for five girl students of the Tirthan valley. Volunteer Mahendra Verma taught the basics of web designing and encouraged the students to make websites and social media platforms for promoting tourism in the region. Laptops and other support was provided by Srot Foundation.

Sood said the HVT was a non-profit platform which brought people together who were passionate about the Himalayas. He said this was a volunteer tourism concept where people travelled for a noble cause. He said people cherished the beauty of the valley and at the same time, shared their expertise with the local community. He said, “The aim is to protect, conserve and help develop this region through initiating various projects and workshops with the help of volunteers.” He said the HVT had accumulated 11,000 members in the span of just three years.

Sood said the first initiative was a learning and activity centre at Sunshine Cottages in Tirthan. He added that around 40 local children from nearby villages attended regular classes on spoken English, music, photography, environmental workshop, art and craft etc. Career counseling, orientation sessions, robotics, social media awareness workshops were also held to guide students.

He said, “Volunteers joined from all parts of the country and supported medical camps, blood donation workshops, Army enrolment workshops, dental camps, cleaning and waste management projects, medical counselling camps, beekeeping workshops etc.” He added that most workshops were held through virtual conferences successfully during the Covid period.

He said HVT has given great support to local homestays and small businesses. The volunteers of HVT have supported homestays by helping them manage the property, market it through social media, making websites, teaching organic farming or painting murals.

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