/The-Explorers-Club-meets-at-the-American-Museum-of.jpg?tr=w-160%2Ch-90%2Cfo-auto "The Explorers Club meets at the American Museum of Natural History.")
The Explorers Club meets at the American Museum of Natural History.
The award was made at the Explorers Club annual dinner where guests included astronauts John Glenn and Buzz Aldrin, ocean explorers, polar explorers, international leaders, journalists, military heroes, and royalty.
Mountaineer and explorer Mandip Singh Soin has been awarded the Citation of Merit by the Explorers Club for "his outstanding work in mountaineering, notably for an unmatched spirit of adventure and exploration spanning six continents".
The award was made at the Explorers Club annual dinner where guests included astronauts John Glenn and Buzz Aldrin, ocean explorers, polar explorers, international leaders, journalists, military heroes, and royalty.
Promoting the spirit of exploration was a key founding principle of The Explorers Club over a century ago.
“We believe Mandy’s lifetime achievement represents a meritorious example of this principle." the club said in making the award.
Mandip is the founder of Ibex Expeditions in India, a pioneering adventure, safari and luxury travel company, recipient of several national and international awards, established in 1979. Mandip is also the founder president of the Ecotourism Society of India and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, UK and the Explorers Club, USA.
In his acceptance speech, Mandip said, "We have a 3rd century Vedic, saying in Sanskrit “Udaar charitanam tu vasudhaiva kutumbakam” which translates to – 'The planet is my home'. At the Explorers Club, we can expand this idea to imply that the whole universe - or all universes - are our home.
"This intense feeling of respect and big belonging, beyond the artificial borders of countries, is the sentiment we need that requires us to remain in ecological and spiritual equilibrium within our own world, here and now."
The club's annual gathering was held over three venues: Intrepid Battleship Sea, Air & Space Museum followed by a day at the United Nations and the final evening was at the American Museum of Natural History.