Connecting with the outdoors has always been one of the best ways to learn, grow, and discover ourselves.

Ganesh

Co-Founder · Mountaineer

My journey into the outdoors began early; drawn by curiosity, I would spend time walking around scrub jungles, marshland, and wooded areas watching birds, critters and local wildlife in different seasons. Long nights were spent observing stars & planets shining in the night sky; and many a times getting to see migratory ducks flying high silhouetted against the moon amidst racing clouds instilled in me a lifelong sense of wonder and a deep connection with nature.

At fourteen, I was gifted my first camera, beginning a lifelong pursuit of storytelling through images. Fascinated by both photography and optics, I built makeshift telescopes and later designed cameras that explored new ways of seeing. This passion grew into driving me to document our built environment, people, and the natural world and later documenting professionally for government agencies, NGOs, and the publishing industry.

Pushing boundaries physically & mentally while trekking, climbing or canyoning deep in the mountains of the Eastern & Western ghats led me to train in Advanced Mountaineering and Search & Rescue at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. From solo motorcycle expeditions and treks across South India and the Himalayas to mountaineering expeditions, the outdoors has remained both my teacher and inspiration.

This lifelong passion for natural history and conservation inspired me to co-found FAWES for spreading awareness about Nature conservation & Sustainability where I design and lead experiential programs that connect people with nature through exploration; pushing boundaries-both physical & mental to facilitate growth through challenge; build trust, skills and emotional intelligence which extend into shaping the way we lead everyday life; Through our programs, I bring together exploration, photography, natural history, and storytelling to help schools, youth groups, and individuals experience nature not as something separate from ourselves, but as something we belong to.

Daya

Co-Founder · Mountaineer · Experiential Learning Facilitator

Hello :) I’m Daya (short for Dayalakshmi) .

I am a neuro spicy wild spirit who loves to Play and learn experientially.. I love climbing, hanging on trees, climbing and sitting on rocks and playing with the sea. I was 8 when I got introduced to camping outdoors. Walking amongst the hills, streams and creatures of the wild I was very excited and fell in love with it. It was like being my true self. So I intuitively moved towards being in natural spaces for extended periods of time exploring wilderness outside and the inner wild within. In that exploration I also trained in Advance mountaineering from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and Basic Skiing from Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering.

Growing up, I had consistently noticed disconnect and conflict in human relationships, and our relationship with nature. My curiosity to understand and learn about our inner nature moved me towards learning Play for peace, Experiential learning and Nonviolent communication which have only enriched my own way of being and facilitating. I am Certified Resonant healing practitioner - a way towards healing personal and Inter-generational trauma.

Co-founding FAWES was a way to bring people, little and big to being with Nature, to play with it and kindle a sense of belonging to the natural world, protect it and understand our relationship with it. While organising and facilitating these journeys in the forests and mountains of South India and the Himalayas

I continue to explore, create and walk on pathways to natural flow, both within and around us. Come join me on this adventure.

Divya

Wellness Educator · Engineer

I'm an engineer by training and spent several years working in the IT industry before finding my way back to what has always felt like home—the outdoors. I'm a lifelong nature lover and avid trekker who's explored trails across Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir, Ladakh, and beyond. I'm also a certified Heal Your Life workshop leader and lead workshops for groups in the areas of mindfulness and self compassion.

I’ve noticed that the things that contribute significantly to my wellness are mostly outdoors :) I feel most alive when I'm climbing up a hill, dipping my feet in the ocean, or spending time amongst trees. I have a deep love for plants and trees. I often find myself wanting to hug them, climb them, or simply rest against them, feeling the texture of their bark and soaking in their quiet, ageless wisdom.

Over the years, I've come to realise how deeply regulating nature is for my nervous system. Whether it's walking through a forest, listening to birds, or simply sitting by the sea, I always return feeling calmer and capable of just being in the present moment.

I'm also a mom and I've seen firsthand the value of giving children the chance to spend time outdoors instead of in front of screens. Watching my child experience the same sense of wonder, freedom, and ease outdoors has only deepened my belief that time in nature is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and our children.

I hope to create experiences that help children, families, and adults rediscover that same sense of wonder, connection, and belonging in the natural world. I'd love for you to join us on this journey.