Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation (ABBF)
Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation is a Pune-based not-for-profit that uses outdoor sports and adventure activities to build inclusion between persons with and without disabilities. Founded in 2014 by Divyanshu Ganatra, a clinical psychologist who became India's first blind pilot, ABBF brings people together across marathons, treks, cycling expeditions, scuba diving, paragliding, and mountaineering. The idea is simple: shared physical experiences change how people see each other. Over ten years, the organisation has touched close to 15,000 lives.
ABBF organises inclusive sporting events where persons with disabilities (PwDs) and able-bodied individuals participate together, often in a paired format. At marathons, for instance, a corporate volunteer runs as an "ally" alongside a visually impaired runner. The events are designed to shift attitudes on both sides: PwDs gain confidence and visibility, while allies and corporate employees leave with a more grounded understanding of disability.
The organisation works across four areas:
- For individuals: organising adventure experiences and treating each participant as a participant, not a recipient. Activities include treks, marathons, cycling, scuba diving, paragliding, rappelling, and mountaineering.
- For corporates: running inclusive events as CSR activities that generate employee volunteer hours and build a culture of inclusion within organisations.
- Research: using adventure activities as a tool to study inclusion, with data analysis and academic partnerships.
- Skill building: helping PwDs build confidence and communication skills, and connecting them with employment opportunities.
ABBF has organised several firsts in India: the first open water scuba diving and paramotoring events for PwDs, and India's first blind paraglider. The Manali to Khardung La (M2K) tandem cycling expedition, where sighted and visually impaired cyclists ride together across high-altitude terrain, is among its most recognised programs. The organisation has also participated in the Tata Mumbai Marathon with 125+ industry leaders running as allies, and helped fund prosthetics and corrective surgeries so underprivileged children could walk for the first time.
ABBF's ally network includes JP Morgan, HSBC, Godrej, Volkswagen, Bajaj Finserv, Cisco, Morgan Stanley, Abbott, Tata AutoComp, Schneider Electric, and many others. Corporate partners fund events, provide volunteers, and participate in inclusive experiences as part of their CSR programs.
For anyone looking to work at the intersection of disability inclusion, adventure, and community building, ABBF is one of the few organisations in India doing this work seriously and at scale. Roles here tend to span operations, communications, outreach, and CSR engagement. The team is small, which means broad ownership of work and direct exposure to on-ground events.
