A step towards Raise Awareness about Climate Change and turning the tide against it…

India's climate is changing fast. It's a fact we're trying to live with everyday.  Heavy floods, unseasonal rains, unforeseen droughts.2016 saw the hottest day in India's recorded history... And India's losses from climate change amounted to $ 40 billion in 2015. Over 11,000 farmers committed suicide compelled by the impact of climate change in 2016 alone.

Scientists have now established that carbon emissions from our pollution have started to melt the world's last permanent glaciers in Antarctica and the North Polar ice pack. This is changing ocean currents and in turn affecting India - a tropical peninsula with one of the largest coastlines in the world. See picture below. 

ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN

This campaign's goal  is to raise funds for me to be a part of an upcoming expedition to Antarctica . 

I've been selected to represent India in the International Expedition to Antarctica in February 2018. With your support, I will come back equipped with data and profound experience which I will use to conduct workshops and talks in schools and colleges about climate change. I will also work with some of the smartest engineers in the domain to come up with solutions to address social, economic and environmental impact of climate change in India. 

This year, I've already crossed the Arctic circle off Svalbard island in Norway, to study polar glaciers firsthand. With your support, my expedition to Antarctica will provide an unprecedented opportunity to compare climate change at the two ends of the earth within one year. 

Pic: Melting ice and rising moss in Antartica

 PIC: On the Antarctic Peninsula, the warming has been far greater—nearly five degrees on average…a Delaware size iceberg just broke off the Larsen C Ice Shelf and smaller ice shelves on the peninsula have long since disintegrated entirely into the waters of the Weddell Sea…They affect the entire planet. - National Geographic

MY CREDENTIALS

I am a United Nations official with professional experience across five continents. I have a strong record of exploration, volunteerism and advocacy which qualifies me for this expedition:

• Excellent physical and mental fitness. Served six years as a UN peacekeeper in hardship missions – Afghanistan and Iraq.
• Honorary member - Swiss Army's Rescue Regiment (Corps de Sauvetage).
• Licensed scuba diver and wireless radio operator. Trained in sciences.
• First-hand experience in dealing with impact of climate change. Disaster Rescue volunteer after Asian Tsunami.
• Mediated on behalf of UN in climate change-induced water disputes in Afghanistan and Iraq
• Published widely on international affairs issues including in Foreign Policy, The Hindu, and Times of India
• Rescue volunteer in Andaman & Nicobar islands after the Tsunami. Rescue volunteer in Bhuj after the earthquake.
• Proficient in 8 languages.
• Inspired public speaker. World Record holder in debating, listed in Limca Book of Records.

Iraq - Ahwar marshes. Inter-tribal disputes mediation, 2016

Norway, Svalbard Climate study, 2017

PIC: Andaman & Nicobar Tsunami rescue and Bhuj earthquake rescue

My 2017 to 2018 expeditions will be to Antarctica and the Arctic

ABOUT THE EXPEDITION

I will join the expedition to Antarctica led by Sir Robert Swan, an internationally renowned explorer on his last voyage to the continent. We will leave from Argentina in February 2017 for a three weeks voyage to the Antarctic peninsula – home to the world’s largest glaciers – before returning equipped with a treasure trove of data. 

Your support can make this happen!

Your support

I need to pay Rs 15,00,000 towards the costs of the expedition (detailed below). I’ve already successfully raised Rs 3,03,580 + Have been promised some sponsorship of value around 5 Lkhs. So, am looking forward to your support for the reminder i.e around 7 LKHS. Every bit of your support counts.

With your support, I hope to use the historic milestone of reaching the two farthest corners of the earth to create and run an awareness campaign about climate change in India’s schools and colleges. I also plan to work with some of the smartest engineers in India to come up with solutions to reduce the socio-economic impact of climate change in India ranging from farmer debt to effects on economic productivity. Together, let’s take a step forward to address the greatest challenges of our generation. Together, let’s make the difference.

In return for your support:

Rs 25,000 and more – Special souvenir from the southernmost town in the world, exclusive high-quality photographs of Antarctica, mention in my upcoming book on polar journeys, and daily updates during the expedition.

Rs 18,000 – Rs 25,000 – Exclusive high-quality photographs of Antarctica, mention in my upcoming book on polar journeys, and daily updates during the expedition.

Rs 9,000 – 18000 - Exclusive high-quality photographs of Antarctica and daily updates during the expedition.

Upto Rs 9000 – Daily updates during the expedition.

Last but not least, your contribution to this campaign is a sign of your support to the cause of fighting Climate change. You will become part of an important initiative to preserve our world today for tomorrow’s generations.