Pole master who skied both North and South Poles in a year, doctors the classroom

Adventurer Ajeet Bajaj gets going in the “Get Active” program

New Delhi, 2007—Modern Lifestyle related diseases have led to a growing concern in children and adults alike, impacting overall health of the society. One year since its inception in 2006, ‘Get Active’ program has been actively trying to purge this menace through support from govt and schools.

Patronage by Govt of Delhi, Get Active is strengthened by a dedicated membership of 60 schools in Delhi and Mumbai, some of them being Delhi Public School, Noida, Loreto Convent, and Ryan International.

Now launched in Mumbai, Get Active is currently celebrating success and intensifying efforts with Mr. Ajit Bajaj, Internationally renowned adventurist to be the primary motivator in one of its premier schools of the country-the Loretto Convent.

Mr.Ajeet Bajaj, an Indian Icon in himself needs no introduction. The first Indian to have scaled both the North and the South Pole, he had the proud privilege of unfurling the Indian flag at the South Pole on Republic Day.

“It's all about the challenge. Why else would one climb a mouth or freeze in the ice.” Bajaj told when asked why he had undertaken such an expedition in such short interval.

As a motivational speaker, he urged students to dream and follow through. “You must dream big but dreaming alone is not enough; action needs to follow thereafter.” said Bajaj in one of his sessions. “The strong wave of happiness and satisfaction that I experienced on unfurling the Indian flag was much more than the trouble and the pain I faced in reaching there. It made me pick up my second and a much more difficult expedition to the South Pole.”

Encouraging students to face any hardship to release their dream, Bajaj told them not to focus disproportionately on potential set backs while pursuing their dreams. He suggested that every individual’s aim in life is to unlock a door that invites him to discover meaning to his existence. And the key to such a lock lay in the word POT: Preparation, Opportunity, Take action.

Several students said they enjoyed the interactions because it was more than a typical lecture about motivation. They hailed Loretto management’s one of its kind, ‘Get Active’ Club initiative, a far thought vision designed most appropriate to promote active lifestyle among the student community.

Bajaj wore his distinction well. Through out the sessions, it stood apart with a radiance of good health—his rounded head, broad shoulders and the winning countenance bore the testimony. His preparation for the expedition was enthralling as well as captivating. Bajaj took to training at 5 AM every morning. He started off by strapping a tyre onto himself and dragging it in a field. This was followed by a game of tennis, a workout and hours of cycling. A good deal of his diet is made up of quaker oatmeal fibers, which he used to take since the days of his north pole expedition.

Mr. Bajaj’s energy was palpable, strongly felt by every audience. The Get Active Health counselors, Dr.Prakhar Gupta and Ms.Tanusri Misra, could see a ray of hope in every little child after the presentation was concluded.

Launched on 11^th Jan, 2006, Get Active, an Annual National School Contact Movement has been working towards instilling and promoting Active Lifestyle in Children and Adolescents. In its nascent year, comprising Doctors, Psychologists, Nutritionists and Lifestyle Experts, Get Active has impacted lifestyles of 70,000 children across Delhi and NCR. While students openly declare an increased intake of healthy items and decreased sedentary pursuits, schools incorporate Get Active in their curriculum.