Akshay Kumar Adventure Travel Visionary
Akshay Kumar, CEO of Mercury Himalayan Explorations. The former President of ATOAI (Adventure Tour Operators Association of India) and ex-vice Chairman of FAITH (Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality)
Kumar came from a family of mountaineers and skiers and was the son of a legendary mountaineer and soldier, Col. Narinder (Bull) Kumar, best known for securing the Siachen Glacier for India.
Kumar’s love of outdoor adventure started at a young age. He trained as a river guide in Canada when he was 15 and rafted over 30 rivers across India and Canada. Not only did he pilot the first-ever descent of the
Brahmaputra river in Arunachal Pradesh in 1990, but he was also the leader of the first trekking group to the Nanda Devi Base Camp after a gap of 22 years in 2001. He led the first-ever Isuzu Challenge Expedition in India-a first of its kind offered jeep safari across the upper Himalayan region.
Kumar went on to join Mercury Himalayan Explorations as CEO, India’s largest adventure travel company set up by his father. He was a passionate and professional skier, trekker, rafting guide, 4×4 specialist, and ice hockey player.
His support to Adventure & Wildlife magazine as a member of the editorial panel since its inception has been immense.We mourn his untimely passing and pray that his near and dear ones find strength to cope with this
irreparable loss.
