For most Indians, a secure corporate job with a good salary is often seen as the ultimate dream, a safe, stable path to a successful life. But for Vijay Pratap Singh (31), true fulfilment lay beyond cubicles and office corridors.

At just 23, he quit his banking job to pursue a different kind of climb: founding ‘AdvenThrill’, an adventure travel company on a mission to place India firmly on the global trekking map.

Born in a small UP village, Bulandshahr, Vijay’s early education was rooted in a Hindi-medium school. “I studied till Class 8 in my village, but in 2005, I moved to Dehradun for my studies.”

Although he describes himself as an average student, it was sports and nature that drew him in. Dehradun’s proximity to the mountains ignited a passion that never left him. “I used to escape into forests and mountains whenever I could,” Vijay tells The Better India.

In 2012, he graduated in Information Technology (IT) from Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University and began working with HCL in Hyderabad. However, adjusting to life in the southern city proved tough. “It was difficult to manage food and the language,” he recalls. At the time, nature became his solace, and weekends offered him the perfect escape into the wilderness. “I was interested in wildlife photography at the time, so I used to explore nearby forests.”

Eager to grow professionally, Vijay took the MAT (Management Aptitude Test) and pursued a master’s in international business from Chandigarh University. During his final year, he was working with Kotak Mahindra Bank in Pune, where he gained a front-row seat to how businesses operated. “Through those client conversations, I learned about business strategies, challenges, and management,” he shares.

Despite doing well in his banking role, a piece of his heart remained in the mountains. “I continued hiking and trekking with my friends,” says Vijay, who refused to let go of his connection with the outdoors.

But, Vijay wasn’t just trekking for leisure. He was planning something bigger.

Taking the leap at 23

“AdvenThrill is an outdoor adventure programme that organises treks for college students, working professionals or anyone interested, along with a few learning-based activities,” Vijay explains. The vision for AdvenThrill had been years in the making — and by the time he quit his job, he knew exactly how it would work.

Starting an adventure company wasn’t an impulsive decision. It was something Vijay had already mapped out — a well-calculated risk, backed by experience and a deep-rooted passion for the mountains. “Before I........

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