[TusharK]

Mahindra has launched its second Off-Road Training Academy in Mangalore under the Mahindra Adventure brand. The new training academy is spread over 150 acres and has various off-roading facilities and wireless-equipped Mahindra Thar 4x4 training vehicles.



The academy offers two courses - Basic Level - Getting Dirty and Intermediate Level - Trail Survivor. These will be held on weekends. The basic course is aimed at rookies and is designed to allow participants enjoy off-road driving. It will be held on Saturday mornings.

The intermediate course offers more in-depth knowledge about vehicle dynamics and driving techniques. It is more challenging with tougher obstacles and includes night driving. The intermediate course will start on Saturday afternoon and conclude on Sunday.

The academy will also offer tailor-made courses for corporates. Meanwhile, the Advanced Course called Global Explorer will continue to be held at Igatpuri near Nashik.

Link to Team-BHP News

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Thanks for sharing Tushar, would be interested to know who are the trainers in this new facility. I presume Vinay Thomas and his team might be involved.


Dhabhar Sir was the one who started all this in Igatpuri, after which the training academy was launched officially by M&M. I along with my team had the privilege of designing the first track in Igatpuri, it has gone a long way since then. Makes me happy, and I'm sure Dhabhar Sir will be overjoyed up there.


Spike

[Samurai]

This is a great opportunity for the locals, the offroading knowledge is very limited in the area. Most of the 4WD owners there can finally learn what their machines are capable off.

I wish the press release was most specific about the location. Obviously the track is not in Mangalore, which is the 3rd largest city in Karnataka. If it is a 150 acre spot, it has to be at least 15-20km away from the city to avoid the prime real estate.

[samaspire]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

I along with my team had the privilege of designing the first track in Igatpuri, it has gone a long way since then.

Today's press release mentions that this track is identical to the one at Igatpuri, so I guess you can claim credit for this one too.

Originally Posted by Samurai

I wish the press release was most specific about the location. Obviously the track is not in Mangalore, which is the 3rd largest city in Karnataka. If it is a 150 acre spot, it has to be at least 15-20km away from the city to avoid the prime real estate.

It's about 5km from the airport exit road, in the Pana School campus. So, like you said, about 20 km from the city.

This is a very hilly area set in the slopes below the Airport runway.

One query though: How does the academy work? Do we bring our own vehicles, or will they provide one for the course duration?

[ike]

Originally Posted by samaspire

Today's press release mentions that this track is identical to the one at Igatpuri, so I guess you can claim credit for this one too. clap

One query though: How does the academy work? Do we bring our own vehicles, or will they provide one for the course duration?

The Mahindra website says all you got to do is book a slot online and show up, they have a fleet of Thar 4X4s that are exploration ready. It is 7.5k INR for the basic course and 17.5k INR for the intermediate one.
http://mahindraadventure.com/off-roading-we-go

[Samurai]

I did the trail at Igatpuri back in 2013. It was very good, not crazy like the RFC since it is for stock Thars.

[drifter]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I did the trail at Igatpuri back in 2013. It was very good, not crazy like the RFC since it is for stock Thars.

A lot has changed since your last outing.

[GTO]

I requested Manish Sarser - BHPian Drifter & Head of the Offroad Training Academy - for more details and he shares the following. Thanks for sending this in!

This is our second Off-Road Academy set in the hills surrounding the Mangalore airport. The academy is being set up in association with Pana Education and is just 15 minutes from the airport. Spread over 150 acres, the new Academy offers lots of challenging obstacles and terrain for rookie and intermediate offroaders. The location was chosen so as to cater to the southern part of the country where off-roading for many is a way of life. Currently the training vehicle fleet is at 7 vehicles and more vehicles will be added as we go along. I’m heading the venture and will be training the participants for the time being, some assistant trainers will be added some time later. Mangalore Academy will replicate Igatpuri and it’s curriculum. Currently we are running 10 obstacles and 10 more obstacles will be added in the next round of upgrades.

The courses on offer current are the Getting Dirty Course (Basic) priced at Rs 7500 and the Trail Survivor Course (Intermediate) at Rs 17500 per person. The Global Explorer Course at Rs 25000 will continue to be held at the main Off-Road Training Academy at Igatpuri. All prices per person. All courses include Mahindra Thar CRDe 4x4 training vehicles, meals and twin-sharing accommodation (wherever applicable). All courses are held on weekends which can be booked online at www.mahindraadventure.com. Tailor made corporate courses are also available throughout the week.

The Getting Dirty Course is a half day course starting Saturday morning and concluding the same afternoon. It is supposed to give participants a taste of off-road driving and focuses on having fun with 4x4s. The Trail Survivor Course is a build up and is an overnight course. It includes everything from the Getting Dirty Course and delves deeper into the technical understanding of the vehicle’s systems and off-road driving techniques. Starts on Saturday afternoon and ends on Sunday afternoon.

The Global Explorer Course is a two-night course which starts on Friday evening and concludes on Sunday afternoon. This includes a mechanical workshop, first-aid workshop, recovery workshop, theory tests, practical skill tests. All participants are marked and graded throughout the course. Participants must complete the Trail Survivor Course in order to qualify for the Global Explorer Course. However, there’s no pre-requisite to enter the Getting Dirty of Trail Survivor courses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm4ndrEBOKQ