The first artificial indoor climbing wall in Western India was inaugurated at the Vidya Valley School. We also have the proud distinction of the first climbing-wall in ANY school in Western India

Vidya Valley School, with Mrs. Nalini Sengupta at the helm, continues to pioneer new concepts in education. This wall is conceived of as tool to teach children qualities like perseverance and dedication, team spirit and responsibility. The school is dedicated to providing a "wholesome" education to children. Mrs. Sengupta believes that inculcating these qualities from a young age is an integral part of growing up. But these qualities cannot be found between the pages of a book!! They have to be experienced and learnt; hence the Climbing Wall.

According to Mrs. Sengupta, the best word that describes the amalgamation of all these qualities is "TOUGH". The adage "when the going gets tough, the tough get going" is not a cliché but an essential truth of life. It is these 'tough' people who emerge as leaders in all walks of life.

This beginner's wall is twenty feet high. With a 15-degree overhang on the top panel, this is by no way a mean challenge for beginners. As skills improve, so will the wall – with a provision for an extension of another 15 feet, including a second overhang!!

he wall has been designed and erected by Rajesh Patade. This distinguished mountaineer is a recipient of the Chhatrapati Award, which is the most prestigious award given to a sportsman in Maharashtra. Rajesh was a part of the Pune Team that successfully scaled Mount Everest in 1998 with Pune's Surendra Chavan reaching the top!!

Vishwas Parchure, a renowned Experiential Educator (and a parent of two children at Vidya Valley), inaugurated the Climbing Wall. Vishwas will continue to lead this project over the coming years to produce a crop of leaders and achievers. Also present was Bob Tower from Washington State who has worked with the State Education Board as an Experiential Educator for over twenty-five years. On this first day, Bob was the anchor-man who helped many children experience their first "assault" on the wall.

The wall will be an integral part of an Adventure Club that the school is starting. The objective of the Club will be to discover and nurture children who have in them the guts to be tough in body and in mind. With the Wall as a focal point, the Adventure Club will include many other experiences designed to develop this toughness.

Initially this Club will be limited to children of Vidya Valley. However, in the future, we aim to invite children from the surrounding communities, regardless of which school they belong to. Our quest for young leaders goes on!!

Back