An introduction to Vagabond
There are times when dreams give birth to actions. Then there are times when actions lead to dreams and these dreams lead to the birth of greater deeds. Vagabond is one such initiative by the students of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand. It all began when we organised a cycling trip to Baroda to celebrate the end of a hectic first term. A bunch of nine students from IRMA headed out on their cycles to Baroda on a warm September morning. It was a challenge taken up for the sheer thrill that it offered. The exhilarating sensation that the successful completion of the trip brought and the bonding that developed between the members of the team inspired in us a dream, to keep the spirit of adventure going. Thus was born the Vagabond, the adventure club of IRMA.
Vagabond, by trying to instil a spirit of adventure among the youth, encourages them to explore the limits of human capabilities. Through its activities it tries to make the youth aware of the hitherto untapped potential of the mind and body. It tries to inspire a confidence in the minds of youth to dream and pursue their dreams with confidence and perseverance.
One of the first activities that Vagabond organised was a cycling expedition to Vairakhadi village 20 kilometres away from IRMA. It was organised as a tribute to one of our dear friend, Bibhudutt Padhi (PRM 26) who passed away during our field work segment. He was a man who taught us that every day is new fight. At Vagabond we try to put that lesson into practice. To the members of Vagabond every day is a day of hope and opportunity.
Today Vagabond has decided to not limit itself to propagating the spirit of adventure. It has decided to take up the challenge of making a difference with this same spirit of adventure. As part of this we are organising an invitational road race on the 26th of January 2006 to mark the 56th anniversary of the birth of the Indian republic. The objective behind the run is to get the citizens of Anand on a common platform and then use this network to tackle various social issues in the city, such as environmental degradation, education, liquor addiction, begging, etc. Also, since the Run is being held on January 26, it would kindle the spirit of patriotism and belongingness in the citizens of Anand. As part of the event we are also organising a blood donation camp aimed at building a camaraderie and spirit of unity among the community.