First Indian Explorer, Mandip Singh Soin FRGS Receives the ‘Citation of Merit’

5 May 2015
Translate

ECAD 2015At a glittering evening of famous and distinguished explorers from around the world, the 111th Explorers Club Annual Dinner was the most exciting evening in its history with three venues of the Intrepid, the American Museum of Natural History and the United Nations Building. The guests included astronauts like Honorary Chair John Glenn and Buzz Aldrin, ocean explorers like Bob Ballard, Sylvia Earle, Jim Cameron and Honorary President Don

Walsh, mountaineers, polar explorers, international leaders, journalists, military heroes, and royalty.

The ‘Citation of Merit’ was awarded to mountaineer & explorer, Mandip Singh Soin for his outstanding work in mountaineering, notably for an unmatched spirit of adventure and exploration spanning six continents. Promoting the spirit of exploration was a key founding principle of The Explorers Club over a century ago.

IMG_1281“We believe Mandy’s lifetime achievement represents a meritorious example of this principle.”

Mandip is the Founder of Ibex Expeditions in India, a pioneering adventure, safari & luxury travel company, recipient of several National and International Awards, established in 1979.

Mandip is also the Founder President of the Ecotourism Society of India and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, UK and the Explorers Club, USA.

In his acceptance speech, Mandip addressed the gathering of esteemed explorers ...

With Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon and Judy Rice‘We have a 3rd century Vedic saying in Sanskrit “Udaar charitanam tu vasudhaiva kutumbakam” which translates to – “The Planet is my Home“. At the Explorers Club, we can expand this idea to imply that the whole Universe - or all universes -- are our Home.

This intense feeling of Respect and big belonging, beyond the artificial borders of countries, is the sentiment we need that requires us to remain in ecological & spiritual equilibrium within our own world, here and now.’

Mandip joins the ranks of past awardees that include Jeff Bezoz, 2014 Awardee (leader of the Apollo 11, F-1 Engine Recovery Team). Past Awardees include Robert Swan, Erden Eruç, John Hemming, CMG, Gilbert M. Grosvenor, Lord Robert S. T. Chorley, Nigel N. Winser, Naomi Uemura, Robert D. Ballard, Ph.D. and more. This award was instituted by the Club in 1962.

With Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moonThe "Spirit of Exploration" themed weekend kicked off with a polar panel and cocktail reception on the Intrepid Battleship Sea, Air & Space Museum followed by a day at the United Nations and the final evening was at the American Museum of Natural History.

For more than a century, members of the Club have traversed the earth, the seas, the skies, and even the moon, on expeditions of exploration. First to the North Pole, first to the South Pole, first to the summit of Mount Everest, first to the deepest point in the ocean, first to the surface of the moon—all accomplished by our members.

Comments