Years ago, young Rajendran from Neyyatinkara, went on a stage to receive an award for the best boy scout from the then president of India, R. Venkataraman.

He has since made a habit of winning awards — once from Indian PM Narashimha Rao for social service and another time an Uparashtrapathi Award.

C Rajendran is now the director of Academy for Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (AMAS) in Neyyatinkara, Thiruvananthapuram.

His boy-scout days led to him become a scoutmaster and Rajendran offered free scout training to poor children in his neighborhood. “And what is interesting is that eight to ten children from this group also won presidential awards,” he says.

After his stint as a warden at the state centre of the Bharat Scouts and Guides, Rajendran founded the AMAS to promote adventure among the youth. Last year, the academy organised a 22-day trip called the river-based adventure expo — a journey through the Western Ghats across the 44 rivers of Kerala to trace its sources, and study it.

“Seventy two people travelled through the Ghats, trekking during the day and camping every night in the forests of Kerala. We also had environmental experts from the forest department take classes.”

The institute promotes adventure on air, land and water with such events as parasailing and hot air balloon (land), banana boat and water bowl (water) and trekking and rock climbing (land). It also organised three adventure carnivals. “We organise adventure camps at least once every month in Kerala or Tamil Nadu.”

Rajendran was also involved in the 'Gandhi Darshan Padana Paripadi' organised by the Centre for Gandhian Studies of Kerala University. “It was a programme that aimed to introduce Gandhian principles to schoolchildren.”

His love for adventure prompted him to start AMAS as a non-profitable enterprise.