Our Team

Honorable Members of GGIM Advisory Board

• • President, Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), New Delhi

• • Principal, Himalayan Institute of Mountaineering (HMI), Darjeeling

• • Director, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, (ABVIMAS), Manali

• • Brig. Ashok Abbey, High Altitude Warfare School, Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir

• • Shri. Anand Palande, President Giripremi, Pune

• • Smt. Ushaprabha Page, Founder President Giripremi, Pune

• • Shri. Khemraj Thakur, Manali

Board of Directors

Umesh Zirpe

Founder Director

Recepient of Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award (Lifetime Achievement) 2023 & Shiv Chhatrapati Sports award 2014, Umesh Zirpe is the leader of Giripremi’s eight expeditions to 8000m mountains namely Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho-Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Kangchenjunga and Annapurna I. He derives over 40 years of experience in mountaineering.

Avinash Foujdar

Director

He is one of the core team members of Giripremi since 1986. His contribution to to expeditions like Mt. Satopanth, Mt. Shivaling, Mt. Everest is invaluable. His meticulousness and minute planing helps the team to achieve the desired goals.

Manish Sabade

Director

Having an immense enthusiasm for mountaineering sport, he has been a strong pillar in Giripremi and GGIM’s every higher steps.

Chandan Chavan

Director

He is one of the seniormost members of Giripremi. He looks after all the administrative aspects of the institute.

Shripad Gokhale

Director

Shripad Gokhale is a senior trekker and looks after the financial aspects of the institute.

Niranjan Palsule

Director

He is the chief orchestrator in conceptualizing GGIM and drafting the objectives of the institute.

Vijay Joshi

Director

Avid trekker, Vijay Joshi has been the strongest mentor to Giripremi’s expeditions. He plays active role in promotion of institute across various sectors.

Operational Team

Bhushan Harshe

Head Operations

Bhushan is Giripremi’s summitter of Mt. Everest in 2013, Mt. Kangchenjunga in 2019 and Mt. Annapurna I in 2021. He has completed his Masters in Instrumentation but having a passion for mountaineering, he has opted for this profession and derives experience of over 20 years.

Vivek Shivade

Head – Content and Syllabus Development

Vivek is a graduate in Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science from IIT Bombay. But having a passion for mountaineering, he has stepped into this field. He has completed courses from NOLS, UIAA Ice Climbing in France. He has summitted Mt. Kangchenjunga, Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Menda I and Mt. Meru South, Mt. Elbrus, and Mt. Kilimanjaro

Varun Bhagwat

Field Instructor and Trek Leader

Varun, a microbiologist by education, is an excellent rock climber and a mountaineer by heart. He has played a crucial role in Giripremi’s virgin rock climbing – Arunoday. He has climbed Mt. Cathedral, Mt. Kangyatse II, and Mt. Bhrigu. He was a part of CB 13. Manda I He is one of the summitters of Mt. Meru South (6660 m).

Prasad Chavan

Field Instructor and Outdoor Educator

Prasad is a passionate photographer, portrait sketcher and rock climber. He has completed Basic Mountaineering Course and has led Deotibba Base Camp Trek.

Pankti Vichare

Field Instructor & Trek Leader

Pankti is an excellent field instructor and a trek leader. Having a background fof army schooling, she is known for her outstanding fitness and outdoor skills.

Mihir Jadhav

Trek Leader and Field Instructor

Mihir is an epitom of fitness and a die heart climber. He is a national level medalist in cycling. A recepient of Best Trainee in Diploma in Mountaineering, he has a keen interest in teaching mountaineering. He is the summitter of Mt. Thelu and virgin rock ascent of Shipnur in Sahyadri

Sahil Saundatte

Trek Leader & Field Instructor

Sahil is an avid trek leader with plathora of knowledge of Sahyadri and Himalayas. He holds keen interest in Star Gazing and is a go-to-dada for every adventure coursemate in children adventures

Sunita Chavan

Accounts Executive

Sunita handles all accounts related matters of GGIM.

Kavita Komrekar

Marketing Executive

Kavita looks after GGIM’s marketing, communication and coordination at the back office.