Move Outdoors: Elevating Leadership through Practiced Heroism and Adventure
Innovative business leader of the year 2024
Our country’s young and dynamic population is unprepared for the fast economic growth we are heading toward. With the changing business models, the leadership deficit is becoming a growing concern to us all. But the underlying cause in this backdrop is that Indian business leaders are more technocrats or tech evangelists than people-centric.
We take pride in our demographic dividend. As the world marvels at India’s ancient culture and rise to prominence, we have to ensure that the next generation is equipped with the knowledge and mindset to bring the best out of anticipated developments.
Our country needs more authentic and influential leadership due to the modern-day generation’s superficial ways of living and lack of original thought. People are not in the know of their true selves which leads to the lack of curiosity that becomes a stagnation that leads to severe depression.
To deal with this serious concern, experiential learning solutions play a significant role in helping individuals deal with real-life scenarios with a daring and positive attitude. In the corporate world, outdoor leadership modules allow individuals to explore their talents, learn new ones, and obtain crucial insights into their strengths and weaknesses.
Indeed, people function best when they are placed in novel and uncertain settings. Move Outdoors acknowledges this assertion that the core objectives of each experiential learning activity focus on systematic reflection, co-relating, and application of the lessons learnt outdoors to actual work domains at the workplace.
Nischay Attri has been leading his thoughtful venture at the forefront to bring more awareness about this topic and help people find their true selves and annihilate fear with their outdoor educational programs. Needless to say, this venture is an exceptional initiative in India and our team couldn’t help but shine the light on Nischay’s fantastic entrepreneurial voyage that led to the establishment of Move Outdoors.
In a talk with our team, Nischay shared the overall strategies in line with providing opportunities for people to practice HEROISM and to make it a reality in their lives. He asserted how their services shatter false ideations of happiness and allow an individual to live fully, with a strong sense of positive utility in work and life.
“Have you seen a centrifuge? It is a device that spins at high speeds to separate particles based on their densities. In the same way, Move Outdoors ensures individuals are ‘centrifuged’ under high pressure in challenging environments to separate and reveal their inherent leadership and heroic traits.
Just as a centrifuge effectively distinguishes between substances, Move Outdoors’ model identifies and brings to the surface the strengths and capabilities of each person. This process ensures that the true leaders and heroes emerge, just as the densest particles are isolated and collected in a centrifuge,” remarked Nischay.
The company profile
Move Outdoors has emerged as a community-based company that inspires and nurtures the suppressed WILL TO HEROISM within an individual. Under Nischay’s stewardship, a person is guided by a way of living that is meaningful and truthful.
Solidifying its presence as a world-class outdoor education and destination management company, Move Outdoors proves its prowess in outdoor leadership education and adventure/ wilderness operations. Leaving a mark in the space, the company leverages adventurous engagements in the wilderness as a tool to shake the hero within that accentuates leadership styles in individuals and groups.
Their existence revolves around educating, inspiring, nourishing & nurturing those ‘struggling to explore their inner hero’. They assist individuals to live a life of freedom while striving for meaning & truth. The team strongly advocates wild spaces, outdoor education, and industry professionals.
The organisation aces in designing, curating, and executing experiences for specific athletic needs and intimate family getaways and outdoor leadership courses, in the most professional, safe, and seamless manner.
Unique service portfolio
Move Outdoors is known for its set of distinct services that resonate with its portfolio. A few of the worthy mentions are as follows:
- Outdoor Leadership Education Courses for schools and corporate groups.
- Designed Treks and Mountaineering Expeditions for adventurers and intimate family groups.
- Exquisite wildlife expeditions for explorers, photographers, and filmmakers in the remotest parts of the Indian Himalayas.
- Executing specific programs to train high-endurance, mountain athletes. Here, they design and execute courses to train individuals in various mountain sports like Ice Climbing, Glacial Travel, Navigation, Survival, and Mountaineering.
The purpose behind it all
Many researches have shown that adventure and outdoor activities can have profound psychological benefits for an individual. These activities can enhance self-esteem, improve mental health, and produce a great sense of accomplishment.
Move Outdoors knows the value of such undertakings and not only provides thrilling experiences but also brings holistic well-being to each of the participants. Nischay stated that his team helps the participants combat diverse challenges in a controlled and supportive environment.
This holds great significance for allowing a person to undergo personal growth and transformation. Well, Nischay’s team strives to bring this transformation in people based on the mantra, ‘DON’T DIE CURIOUS’. The founder explains that death is the inevitable reality that binds us all together without any discrimination. His team strives for people to not leave this world without tasting life in its full-grown potential. The ultimate aim is to help people become their complete selves, to reach their highest potential.
When it comes to their mission, annihilating fear from people’s hearts is their ultimate goal. The company has been incorporated with this thought in mind. Basically, The concept is to help clients move onwards and upwards in the game, both within and without. ‘The Hero’s Journey Narrative, that forms the superstructure of every superhero story ever lived and told, from lord Ram to iron man, forms the base of every engagement that move outdoors designs and executes.
“Heroism is a need of this time that we currently exist in as a collective. A lack of Heroism is what leads to a lack of leadership. At the current time, we as a collective have outsourced the idea of “THE HERO” to Marvel and DC Studios based out of California. Heroism has been transmuted into a cheap product, ‘a short-term gratification’ of sorts, that can be consumed in a controlled environment with a bucket of popcorn and cola.
But our aim is simple: To develop Leaders for tomorrow, who can handle the pace of India’s emergence as a dominating force. We don’t believe, we know, that leaders aren’t born, they’re created, with the right kind of exposure to the right kind of experiences that propel and ignite the leadership potential of individuals and individuals in groups,” emphasised Nischay.
Inside the leader’s journey
A dynamic leader like Nischay doesn’t emerge without a considerable driving force behind him. We wanted to delve into his childhood experiences and adult life to unpack the roots of his spectacular and daring leadership. In response to this, the 30-year-old entrepreneur shared pivotal moments from his childhood years that have shaped his overall mindset and personality.
He shared that Shakespeare’s famous phrase, ‘What’s in a name?’ didn’t much resonate with his family. A name holds deep meaning in Indian ethos. Hence, he got his name. “Nischay,” is a Sanskrit word that translates to ‘Decision’ or ‘Determination’ in English. His father served in defence services owing to which Nischay grew up experiencing and interacting with diverse cultures across the sub-continent during his formative years.
His exposure to extreme environments and varied lifestyles began at a young age, making him an active learner of many non-traditional yet essential educational pursuits. He recalled a sweet experience from his school days where his teacher shared her thoughts on Nischay’s academic performance in a Parent-Teacher meeting, “Sir, he’s a very sweet, well-disciplined child, but he doesn’t write the right answers. I don’t know what to do with him.”
One more dreadful yet life-changing incident shared by him, “My father served in the Indian Army and he was stationed near some of India’s most disputed borders. During my early childhood, I witnessed a bomb blast firsthand, an experience that profoundly altered my perspective on life. I still remember that incident as it was a turning point in my life.”
Fast forward to his final year, and he aced the institution. Nischay graduated with a Bachelor of Political Science and pursued a Major in Political Economy and International Relations.
While working on a second Major in Philosophy, he found academic philosophy to be unnecessarily obscure and detached from real-life concerns, often tethered to theological and socio-economic agendas. He chose to drop out and study Thought and Language independently. He is cynical of institutionally prescribed literature run in a systemic format within a ‘Post-modern’, ‘Neo-Oriental’, ‘Advertised’ reality where the mental real estate of the world’s largest population is being auctioned in stock markets.
The strategies to execute what he intends to do in his overall process emerge from three aspects: Curiosity, Truth, and Life-Affirming Positive Utility. Nischay detests conclusiveness. His area of inquiry is identity: Genesis, Preservation, and Dissipation. Currently, Nischay is creating systems for Applied Cognitive Sciences in the wilderness, using extreme engagements as tools to make the idea of heroics an embodied knowledge in a being, transforming it into a lived and practiced reality in an individual’s life.
About the founder’s professional heights
In terms of professional achievements, Nischay’s daring adventure started in the foothills of the Himalayas, He explored the Himalayan belt, its cultures and people as he received his mountaineering training. He embarked on Himalayan big mountain expeditions and honed his talents.
In this journey, he gained a profound grasp of the world’s youngest mountains. But his goals went beyond the mountains. He took to snowboarding wholeheartedly, challenging himself on steep terrain. He learned to paraglide and experience the spellbinding Himalayan scenery, bringing his passion for flying higher aloft. His sense of adventure continued after that.
Later, he explored subterranean depths while spelunking where he excelled remarkably. He also pursued scuba diving and delved into the colourful underwater realm to slake his appetite for more adventure. He is also a visiting faculty at the prestigious National Mountaineering Institute (Nehru Institute of Mountaineering).
A true outdoorsman, he also enjoys trail running for the thrill of mountain exploration and cycles for a different kind of adventure. He even finds leisure in golf and rifle shooting. Based on his extensive adventure journey, Nischay now shares his vast knowledge and experience as a visiting faculty at a prestigious National Mountaineering Institute.
The list of mountaineering practices he has performed so far comprises
1. Mt. Stok Kangri, 6153 m
2. Mt. Papsura, 6440 m ( National Geographic Expedition Sponsored by The North Face)
3. Mt. Kang Yatse, 6270 m ( Alpine Ascent)
4. Mt. Satopanth, 7075 m (International Expedition, Gharwal Himalaya)
5. Mt. Bandarpunch, 6316 m (As Dy. Leader, Hybrid Speed Ascent)
6. Mt. Nun, 7135 m (International Expedition)
7. Mt. Stok Kangri (Winter Speed Ascent)
8. Mt. Tulian, 4800 m
9. Mt. Kolahoi, 5425 m
10. Mt. Trishul, 7120 m
11. Mt. UT Kangri, 6070 m ( Winter Speed Ascent)
12. Mt. Rewa Kangri, 6165 m (Virgin Ascent/first ascent, Alpine climb)
13. Mt. Kun 7077 m (International Expedition).
14. Mt. Nun x 2 (International Expedition)
15. Mt. Baby Shivling, 5400 m
16. Mt. Rudugaira, 5819m
Pioneers in transformation
Nischay’s brainchild is a pioneering venture indeed. The world needs more establishments like Move Outdoors that could contribute to the well-being of the global populace, directly or indirectly. Nischay elucidated that adventure is not just about extreme activities but about venturing from the known to the unknown with deliberate intention.
The whole idea is to break away from the mundane to experience the wilderness in it’s full blown majesty. In cities like Delhi, people rely on established systems for any issues, representing a well-curated civilisation.
In the wilderness, however, one becomes the center of reality, enhancing cognitive abilities and fostering a deep appreciation for life and human relationships. He is a graduate of Delhi University and holds numerous certifications, is a visiting faculty at the prestigious National Mountaineering Institute (Nehru Institute of Mountaineering) and is an independent outdoor leadership consultant.
Hence, as a leader, Nischay knows how to help people level up their lives. He strains every nerve to bring out the untapped potential he sees in people and aims to create spaces where everyone can discover their brave sides. The most resonating traits for him are heroism, curiosity, creativity, movement, Sustainability and a strong belief in the replenishing power of National Parks.
Move Outdoors knows how to push individual performance to inculcate self-respect and self-inspiration in one’s mind. Nischay advocates that self-respect leads to excellence in any work, focusing on building authenticity, self-love, and self-respect. Their leadership modules simulate real-life expeditions, emphasising capacity building, decision-making, self-confidence, risk management, and personal and communal conduct.
The focus is to instill such traits that help individuals become their best possible versions. The overall module improves workplace performance and allows the attendees to establish harmonious inter-personal relationships. Graduates of these modules become more self-aware, self-respecting, and nurturing, inspiring those around them. Move Outdoors prides itself on impactful, genuine work, believing that true leadership, like love, cannot be forced but is a process of becoming one’s true self.
“Move Outdoors is an extremely niche company, the area of our function and expertise is par excellence. There is no other company in the country that focuses on athletics and leadership the way we do,” he quipped.
Making way for environmental stewardship
One of the biggest concerns for the world today is the massive carbon footprint generated by human activities. This is driving unexpected climate change, threatening ecosystems, and jeopardising the health of our planet.
Hence, we are obliged to reduce carbon emissions to mitigate global warming and ensure a sustainable future. We need to ensure collective action from individuals, businesses, and governments to address this pressing issue and safeguard the environment for future generations.
In reference to the above premise, Move Outdoors realises its responsibility to be an eco-conscious business venture. Nischay is always inspired by the beauty of the pure, unblemished wilderness and his guiding principle is: LEAVE NO TRACE. In all the business operations, Move Outdoors ensures to leave a minimal human impact on the wilderness.
Their pledge to environmental stewardship led to the creation of a “Climate Policy Advisor” position on their advisory board. Mr. Martanda Gautam, a Doctoral research fellow at Johannes Gutenberg University specialising in Meteorology, Climate, and Earth Sciences, has helped draft their Sustainability Policy, making them the only outdoor education and destination management company in India with such a policy.
The sustainability policy is available on their website. Every wilderness engagement includes practical and actionable resources on sustainability and environmental education as an integral part of their operations. They abide by the rules of the National Parks and assist rangers and forest officers in maintaining the parks in their natural state as a standard operating procedure.
Worth many glances
Move Outdoors stands out as India’s first outdoor leadership education company to have partnered with the National Mountaineering Institute (JIM&WS) under the Ministry of Defence to develop and conduct world-class outdoor leadership courses for budding leaders.
They are also the first in the country to design and run an Ice-Climbing Course in Ladakh, promoting this niche winter sport. Additionally, they designed and launched “Peak Performance,” an advanced mountain athlete training program. The company boasts of India’s largest video library of adventure cinema on its website, www.moveoutdoors.org and takes pride in the quality of literature featured in its blog, Mover’s Digest.
The commitment to their service is evident from the fact that Nischay personally learned web and graphic design to create the brand identity and website to ensure his vision of true adventure is effectively conveyed to the world the way it needs to be.
The future roadmap
Nischay envisions his venture to contribute to building a better leadership capacity in India. He sees India as becoming the world leader in the coming decade. Moreover, he will keep nurturing an adventurous generation of risk-takers, free thinkers, and nature lovers and make bolder moves to bring a wave of change. His futuristic vision also relies on the client’’s growth which is set to go onwards and upwards.
To enhance it more offerings will be added to the portfolio. His team indeed is in constant efforts to become the world’’s most unique, creative, safe, and ethical outdoor education and destination management brand and place themselves on the global map.
