 |
| Anusha Subramanian |
Anusha Subramanian co-founded an initiative called Summitting4Hope with a friend. It supports a host of social causes, and trekked up with Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to scale Everest, to help the flood victims with relief and rehabilitation. She is a mountaineer and a two-time award winning journalist, who is now dedicating her skills and experience towards specific causes. As part of our special series focusing on InSync, India's First Inclusive Tandem Cycling Expedition, here's her story.
Can you tell us a little about yourself? What are your likes, dislikes, hobbies, passions and hopes and dreams?
I am an award winning journalist and a mountaineer. As a journalist I have worked across National publications as well as Magazines. My last stint in journalism was with the Business Today magazine, Part of the India Today Group and one of the leading Business Magazines in the country as an Associate Editor. I quit full time journalism in 2013 to pursue my interests in mountaineering and working for social causes. I am also a British Chevening Scholar and a Common Purpose, UK’s alumni. While I pursue independent journalism writing for a few select publications in print and online, I am also a great outdoor enthusiast. I am trained in mountaineering from the Nehru Institute, of Mountaineering, Asia’s premier Mountaineering Institute at Uttarkashi. I have personally now chosen to dedicate my skills and experience towards specific causes through Summiting4Hope, a social initiative I started in 2013. Since Uttarakhand floods, I have worked in Kashmir during the floods in 2014 and in Nepal in 2015 during the earthquake with GOONJ. I am happy to combine my skills in journalism with my skills in mountaineering and do all that I can. As far likes are concerned I love music, sketching and my books. My hope and dream is to work towards making this country and this world a better place to live.
Tell us about your journey into cycling. Can you tell us a little about your training? What was your journey like?
My journey into long distance riding and mountain biking started couple of years ago. Riding long distance for miles together rejuvenates me. I train on a daily basis. My training includes cycling daily for 25-30 kms, and then hit the gym in the evening on Monday- wed-friday for strength and weight training. On Tuesdays and Thursday, I cycle in the morning and in the eve I do some endurance training for stamina, core and abs. It’s my training that keeps me going. Being an asthmatic my training has helped me very well to be able to both high altitude trekking and mountaineering as well as high altitude cycling. Weekends I generally go trekking in the Sahyadris.
You're all set to do something amazing with the ride from Manali to Khardung Laa! How do you feel about it? What is your special training regimen like?
I feel fantastic that I am part of such a varied and awesome team. I cannot thank ABBF enough to have given me this opportunity to ride along with people who are so self- motivated and go getters in their own respect. My training is similar to what I have mentioned above with the addition of long rides for about 75- 100 odd km in the weekends as a run up to M2K.
Can you tell us a little about your family? What do they think about the new amazing thing you're about to do?
My family feels proud that I am doing something that is not ordinary. Although, my mother worries every time I am out there trying such challenging feats.
What have your personal challenges been? How have / do you work to overcome them? What inspires you?
My personal challenges have been many both in my profession as a journalist and while mountaineering and doing social work in disaster prone areas. The only way I work towards them is by not giving up come what may. If you are feeling fit and fine- ‘Never say Quit’ is my motto. All the people around me are my inspiration. Each one brings with them something special for me to learn from and take away.