Imagine travelling to an exotic location where you can scuba dive, snorkel, sail, raft and indulge in many more unconventional sports — sounds very Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara-ish, doesn’t it? If you’re an adrenaline junkie who gets a kick out of adventure, then 30-year-old Keegan Moras’s new venture is just for you.
Keegan is a sports aficionado who has converted his zeal for adventure into a business. He’s the co-founder of Sportsphere India, a company that gives travellers an opportunity to take up a niche sport and live life on the edge during their travels. How did the idea occur to Keegan?
“Adventure sport and meaningful travel excite me. During my time on the road both in India and abroad, I realised how many unconventional sport service providers there were — completely off the grid, in remote locations, with absolutely no online presence but with mind-blowing offerings. Our numerous interactions affirmed the notion that they would love working together and this is how the idea came about,” says the alumnus of St. Josephs College.
Backed by his brother- in- law and mentor Flavian D’ Souza — Keegan’s venture took off in early 2014. If you are into rock climbing, equestrian sport, hot air ballooning, sea walking, para-gliding among other rare sports, then he is the man you should connect with.
“We focus on taking mixed groups from different backgrounds to different parts of the unexplored sub-continent to take part in a range of recreational activities. We’ve covered places like Goa, Andaman, Konkan coast, Gulf Of Mannar, Mexico and Sri Lanka among others.”
In 2016, they ventured into scenic locations in South East Asia and they plan to gradually add a few more countries to that list. How has the response been so far? “It’s been encouraging to say the least. We travel regularly as a family in small numbers and do not usually accommodate more than 14. We plan to introduce a few localised trips — closer to home in the South which are of shorter duration,”says Keegan.
Personally, Keegan is a huge cricket buff. “I’m also a huge fan of Mixed Martial Arts and the UFC. Scuba diving, kayaking or anything by the sea makes me smile,” he shares. Ask him about his courageous entrepreneurial journey and he says, “The experience has been awakening on so many fronts. When you are bold enough to carve out a career out of your passion, then you know you’ve signed up for the long haul.
There will be ups and downs, but it is ‘your’ own journey to cherish. Storms keep blowing — you will always hear the odd voices who do not understand your chosen path. Unshakeable faith is the magic ingredient. Stay true to your calling and true to yourself - all else will follow. As they say in Costa Rica “Pura Vida” which translates to ‘Pure Life’ — this is something I strive to live by.”
