Our Team

Our Team

Major Deepak Raj (Retd.)

Director
Deepak, a founding member of ISL, has straddled the design and delivery of leadership experiential programs spanning from sixth graders to corporate leaders. His real life experience in counter insurgency, jungle warfare coupled with his corporate stint helps him cross-pollinate ideas for insightful interactions. He revels in getting his team together to deliver form and content tailor-made to organizational needs without failing to compel audiences for an enriched living.

Amongst other accreditations, he is a certified executive coach by ICF, a certified NLP practitioner by ABNLP, rope course expert, a mountaineer, an avid biker, and an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. He is a certified trainer on advanced facilitation and experiential education by Project Adventure USA.

Major Manu Thomas (Retd.)

Director
Manu, an experienced Military Leader has over a decade of Versatile experience in managing & leading teams of motivated & Skilled Professionals from a set of varied backgrounds. He has had the opportunity to be a part of Counter insurgency and Peacekeeping missions. His expertise lies in his attention to detail and focus on bringing teams together. He is a Certified Risk Management Professional, Certified Scrum Master, Certified in Lean Six Sigma, Certified in Fire and Safety Management. He’s an Alumnus of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi. He is an avid Bike rider and has a flair for sports and adventure activities.

Ms Rama Thakur

Chief Instructor

With over 18 years of expertise in corporate and outbound learning, Everester Rama Thakur is a dynamic trainer blending leadership insights with adventure-based learning. A certified Master Trainer, NLP practitioner, and holder of dual Master’s degrees, Rama’s programs are enriched by her mountaineering achievements, including summiting the mighty Mt. Everest.

She has trained global students, premier school educators, and corporate teams like Ellucian, Cardinal Health, Gremot Mobility, Byju’s, etc. Her certifications in mountaineering, skiing, and scuba diving, combined with her contribution with the consultancy company on the Rohtang Tunnel project, make her training impactful and versatile. Rama’s journey inspires resilience and peak performance in individuals and teams alike.

Mr. Arvind Sherpa

Leadership Trainer

Arvind Sherpa is an accomplished mountaineer, skier, and adventure expert with extensive experience in corporate leadership training. With over a year as an instructor at Tata Steel Foundation, he has honed his expertise in rope courses, rafting, rock climbing, and kayaking. A seasoned expedition leader, he has guided international clients on challenging Himalayan peaks like Mt. Island Peak and Lobuche East.


Holding certifications from elite institutions like HMI Darjeeling and NIM Uttarkashi and credentials like Train the Trainer and Master Trainer from Bodhih and Middle Earth HR, Arvind integrates resilience, teamwork, and adventure into transformative training experiences.

Mr. Praveen Singh Rana

Leadership Trainer

Everester Praveen Rana is a dynamic leadership trainer with over 17 years of expertise in adventure, mountaineering, and outdoor leadership programs. An “A” grade graduate from the prestigious Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, he has scaled iconic peaks including Mt. Everest, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt Kosciusko, and Mt Elbrus. He has achieved the National Record of climbing these four peaks on a specific day of the week.

Praveen has served as an instructor at Tata Steel Adventure Foundation and NIM Uttarakhand, conducting impactful training for corporates, B-schools, and schools. With advanced certifications in mountaineering, skiing, and disaster management, alongside an MBA in HR, he blends experiential learning with leadership insights, inspiring teams to excel with resilience, adaptability, and team synergy.

He has done his basic skiing course from Shymbulak Skiing School Almaty, Kazakhstan in Feb 2020. Participations in first Uttrakhand state sports wall climbing competition and secured 4 th position in speed climbing in 2008. His potential to scale the peaks were Mt. DKD2 (18740ft.) in Uttrakhand Himalaya in 2007, Mt. Stock Kangari (6,153m) in Ladakh (J&K) 2017, Mt. Golep Kangri (5,950m) in Ladakh J&K) in 2017, Mt Yunam (6111m) in Himanchal Pradesh in 2019, Mt. Everest (8848.86m) in Nepal in 2022, Mt. Kilimanjaro(5895m) highest in African continent in 2023. Among other credentials, Mr. Rana is MBA in HR from UTU Dehradun, MA in English, Post graduate.Diploma in Disaster Management, and Master in mountaineering and certified trainer by IL &FS Skills School, Dehradun. He is certified trainer for “Train the Trainer” from Bodhih Training Solution, Bangalore and “Master Trainer” certification from Middle Earth HR- Hyderabad.

Mr. Mitesh Singh

Coordinator and Leadership Trainer

Mitesh Singh blends corporate expertise with adventure-driven insights to create impactful leadership training. With a commerce degree and over seven years at Genpact in Risk Management and CAT Modeling, he is a certified Six Sigma Green Belt and an accomplished Master Trainer.

As a mountaineer certified by Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Mitesh has led expeditions on Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Fuji, Island Peak, and Mt. Satopanth. His travel and cycling adventures fuel innovative, culture-rich programs emphasising teamwork and resilience. Certified in wilderness first aid, Master Trainer certification, and Train the Trainer certification, Mitesh inspires individuals and teams to conquer challenges, fostering leadership that thrives both in the boardroom and beyond.

Mr Manoj Prakassh

Leadership Trainer
Mr Manoj is an Electrical Engineer from MS Ramaiah University. He has represented Karnataka & India in National & International programs in the International Cadet Exchange Program (Singapore), and Republic Day Camp (Delhi). He is also a boxing coach, Snake rescuer, Scuba diver, avid trekker, Mountaineer & Wilderness First Aider. He has done 40+ treks in India. He has achieved the National Record “Project 9-9” wherein 9 athletes did 9 long treks in less than 24 hours. He is also part of Bangalore Climbing Initiatives. He has completed a motorcycle expedition for 11,011 km covering 13 states & 1 UT to Arunachal Pradesh (Itanagar) to promote Swachh Bharat. He is also the captain of Team Shershah which is currently in 2nd place in Asia for Adventure Racing. He has represented India in Koh Samui (Thailand) in Adventure Racing 2022, (Biliran) Philippines at the Asia Series Championship 2023 & Hulu Selangor (Malaysia) in 100 km Adventure Race in 2024.

Mr Abhishek Kumar

Leadership Trainer

Mr Abhishek Kumar is a lawyer and a graduate in Sciences from Delhi university. He is a certified Skier (European Skiing Federation), and a First Aid Responder (WFA by Hanifl Centre). He has been recommended for the Indian Army and secured All India Rank 28 in the order of merit. While pursuing Law he has also freelanced as a Lifestyle & Health Coach, he has successfully mentored clients online across the globe with impeccable results. During his days as an NCC cadet, he was appointed as Junior Under Officer during his tenure and was awarded as the Best NCC Cadet of the year at Sri Aurobindo College. He has made representations at National Television during Republic Day Camp 2018 and marched with the NCC contingent on 26th Jan 2019 on Kartavya Path, New Delhi. He has also represented the NCC unit in the Chief Minister’s Parade (2017) at Talkatora stadium.

A budding trekker, he has completed an alpine trek to Bhrigu Sarovar (14,100ft) and a night trek to Shali Tibba (9,000ft). He strongly believes in diversity, embraces the exposure that life brings along and is always enthusiastic about challenges. Having a diverse range of trade, he is able to corroborate the experiences with the facilitation and learning processes at Indus School of Leadership.

Ms Ranu Gaur

Leadership Trainer
Ranu Gaur is a dedicated outdoor educator, cyclist, and certified mountaineering instructor with an unwavering passion for adventure. With two decades of experience in the field, she has carved a path that has led her to conquer mountains, empower individuals, and inspire a love for the great outdoors.

Among other credentials, she is a PG in Commerce, Certified Mountaineering Instructor, Certified Fitness trainer and Wilderness Advanced First Aid certified instructor. A Senior Under Officer in NCC, she has been recognized for her contributions to NCC and sports, she has been awarded with an Appreciation Letter by Madhya Pradesh Govt.

Amongst other hobbies, she is an ultra-marathon runner, participates in, Tug of war clinching national and international medals, rifle shooting and dance. She has scaled mountains such as Stock Kangri, Mt Kabru Dome and Mt Yunam. Her diverse work experience from tours and travels to the KPO sector, adventure parks to mountaineering institutes, helps her draw inspiring and intuitive leadership lessons. Her aim is to create a community of adventurers who embrace challenges, grow in strength, and find solace in the beauty of nature.

Ms Nidhi Verwal

Leadership Trainer
Nidhi Veerwal is a seasoned leadership trainer at ISL, where her journey weaves through innovation, education, and a commitment to excellence. With a rich tapestry of experiences, she has played pivotal roles in both the educational and technology sectors, contributing significantly to an Ed-Tech startup for 3 impactful years and as a skilled content writer for 4 years. Honoured with a recommendation from the esteemed Indian Army and securing an outstanding 27th rank in the all India order of merit, she brings a blend of dedication and expertise to every endeavor. Armed with a Master’s in Psychology and Zoology, complemented by a B.Ed. degree and CTET clearance, her academic journey is marked by distinction. As a top 1% awardee of the Scholarship of Higher Education post senior secondary education, she’s been recognised for her commitment to intellectual excellence. Beyond the books, she’s ventured into diverse arenas. Representing her university in debates and table tennis at the intercity level, clinching a gold medal in kho-kho, and holding a green second belt in taekwondo, she embraces challenges with both mind and body. As a hobbyist trip coordinator for various Himalayan treks experiencing rafting, paragliding, bungee jumping and cycling, her adventurous spirit fuels her dedication to exploration and resilience. Beyond the professional landscape, her interests in book reading, painting, and anchoring have shaped her creative outlook. As the Head of the Dramatics Club and Head Girl during her academic tenure, she led with a perfect blend of creativity and responsibility. In a world that evolves constantly, she believes in not just keeping up with the change but adding a personal touch to learning.

JWO Nikku Ram Choudhary (Retd.)

Administrator
Junior Warrant Officer NR Choudhary has working experience of 29 years in the Indian Air Force in the Administrative Branch. Awarded Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) for climbing Mount Everest in 2006. He has completed a Diploma from NOLS in Mountaineering from Alaska (USA). He has Successfully completed the World’s highest full marathon – Mount Everest Marathon on 29 May 2009. He is a paragliding pilot and has vast experience of organizing adventure camps, sports climbing competitions, para-sailing camps, paragliding camps, water sports camp and MTB expeditions for the Air Force personnel.

He has the distinction of climbing the highest mountain of six continents. He has approximately 25 mountaineering expeditions to his credit in the Indian Himalayas. Presently, he is working as an Administrator at ISL.

Mr Kaushik Pawar

Training Manager
Mr. Kaushik is responsible for setting up the training area and all the technical and administrative support for training at ISL. He has more than 16 years of experience in building adventure and Paintball fields and training corporates and students on leadership development through outdoor adventure programs. He is a certified rope course expert, specialized both in technical and conducting training on the challenge course.

Among other accredited courses, He is a certified paintball Instructor. T3 certified trainer from Bodhih training solutions and Middle Earth.
Major Deepak Raj (Retd.)

Major Deepak Raj (Retd.)

Director
Mr Manoj Prakassh

Mr Manoj Prakassh

Leadership Trainer
Mr. Kaushik Pawar

Mr. Kaushik Pawar

Facilities Manager
Mr. Mitesh Singh

Mr. Mitesh Singh

Coordinator and Leadership Trainer
Mr. Praveen Singh Rana

Mr. Praveen Singh Rana

Leadership Trainer