Tapas Chowdhury, a faculty of the Sea Explorers’ Institute in Kolkata won this prestigious award from the President of India, Smt Pratibha Patil in 2016. Tapas joined the Sea Explorers’ Institute as a student of Seamanship and Navigation. Always very sincere in his effort, Tapas participated in a few voyages as a student. Quite naturally he became a faculty of his alma martar. Ever since, he participated and led several river and sea expeditions that required proficiency in kayaking, rafting, rowing and sailing. Some of his achievements include Rafting and Kayaking Expedition from Sikkim to Sagar in West Bengal in 2003, Rowing and Sailing Expedition from Kolkata to Bangladesh border in 2005 through treacherous estuaries infested with crocodiles, from Kolkata to Odisha and back in 2006 and many more. For successfully completing many expeditions and voyages, showing outstanding courage and leadership in trying situations during the expeditions, his contribution to the world of adventure was recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports that bestowed him with the Tenzing Norgay Award in 2016.