New Delhi | 31 December 2026

The Adventure Racing Federation of India (ARFI) successfully organised its National Meet at the Department of Space Studies, MERI Group of Institutions, New Delhi. Prof. Lalit Aggarwal, Vice-President, MERI Group, welcomed Lt Gen (Dr) PJS Pannu (Retd), President, ARFI, Lt Gen A.T. Parnaik, Vice-President, ARFI, and other distinguished dignitaries.

Registered in 2016 under the Societies Registration Act, ARFI is India’s only nationally registered body dedicated to the promotion and development of adventure sports.

The meet witnessed participation from senior officers and experts drawn from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, ITBP, government departments, legal fraternity, and adventure sports organisations. Key attendees included Mr. Shaukat Pal Singh Sikand, Major Gen (Dr) Manjeet Singh Mokha (Retd), Ms. Anamika Singh (Brand Ambassador, ARFI), Major General Puneet Doval (Commandant, HAWS), Mr. Vishal Ahlawat (Director – Sports & Adventure, Government of India), Dr. Riju Raj Jamwal (Advocate, Supreme Court of India), and Wing Commander Lalita Mishra (IAF), among others.

The deliberations focused on ARFI’s national roadmap, future strategy, and institutional collaboration. Lt Gen (Dr) PJS Pannu highlighted the importance of youth participation and educational institutions in strengthening adventure sports, while also identifying several potential locations for national and international events, including a proposed 25-acre adventure sports hub in Belagavi.

The meeting underscored the need to integrate adventure sports into education under NEP 2020, alongside discussions on safety protocols, infrastructure, equipment, regulatory compliance, funding models, and event planning across states.

Lt Gen A.T. Parnaik outlined ARFI’s phased expansion plan, beginning with Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Arunachal Pradesh, followed by other states. Financial sustainability, training frameworks, indigenous resource utilisation, and insurance mechanisms were also discussed.

Concluding the meet, Prof. Lalit Aggarwal thanked the dignitaries for their insights and reaffirmed MERI Group’s commitment to supporting ARFI initiatives and encouraging student participation in adventure sports at national and international levels.