A number of orienteering events in India over the past nine months have had around 1750 people try their hand at the sport.
To date India has had 4 clubs, but four more are on the way, meaning six of the country’s states are on their way to be represented by a club.
Several clubs have held championships and supported schools and colleges in organizing seminars and demonstration games of orienteering for students.
A good proof of the power of orienteering took place at Kakanmath Temple, south of New Delhi where a group of villagers tried the sport for the first time.
Not having access to any physical sports facilities in their vicinity, the orienteering map over the temple area created an arena for them to try out.
None of them had ever seen an orienteering map before, nonetheless they all completed the course – some in sandals – without mispunching or missing controls.
The events were supported by the Park World Tour organization and IOF’s Global Development Commission and made use of an OCAD starter kit, SPORTident systems and World Orienteering Week control flags.
And it seems the development of orienteering in India will continue in the coming weeks, as 25 different events have registered to be part of World Orienteering Week, which takes place from May 18-26 this year.