I feel truly blessed to have been born and raised by the Ganga River in Sirasu Village, Rishikesh. Maa Ganga has always been a source of peace, strength, and healing in my life. Growing up close to nature and the river shaped my deep respect and love for water and taught me to listen to the river from a young age.

I began my journey on the water as a kayaker at a young age. Through competitions and expeditions, I learned important river skills. Kayaking taught me discipline, confidence, focus, and respect for the river. It helped me understand that the river is powerful and must always be treated with care.

Before joining the Nari Nauka program, I had no interest in raft guiding. But everything changed the first time I sat on the guide seat, rowed the oar boat and paddle boat, and controlled a raft through big rapids. That moment opened a new door for me. It gave my journey a new direction and inspired me to continue today as both a kayaker and a professional raft guide.

Nari Nauka, which means “Woman Boat” in Hindi, was launched in March 2024 and is India’s first professional training program for female whitewater river guides. The program was created to empower women and create career opportunities in the adventure tourism industry on the Ganga River.

For many years, river guiding on the Ganga was a male-dominated field. Having women as a professional guide was—and still is—extremely rare. Nari Nauka aims change this by helping Indian women develop the skills, confidence and professional training needed to work safely and independently on the river.

The program provides intensive hands-on training in river guiding, swiftwater rescue, and wilderness first aid. Participants learn how read the river, control a raft, stay calm under pressure and manage guest safety. The training also prepares women for international certifications, including the American Canoe Association (ACA) Paddle and Oar Guide certifications.

A special part of Nari Nauka is its strong focus on sisterhood and community. Professional women guides from other countries come to teach and mentor. During the training, all the women train together, learning to work as a team and growing stronger through shared challenges. This support system builds confidence, leadership, and trust.

Nari Nauka is a collaborative effort, supported by Worldwide Women of Whitewater (WWoW), Canyon River Instruction, and local partners like Red Chilli Adventure, with support from the Uttarakhand Tourism Department. Together, these partners created a safe and professional space for women to learn and grow.

A historic moment came when the Ganga Girls successfully passed the government river guiding tests. Since 2008 only one woman had ever appeared for this exam. But on this day, many women stood together, marking a powerful change.

As we paddled, hearing our male teammates cheer for us was more than encouragement. It felt like a shift in mindset. A break in generations of patriarchy. A moment where the river seemed to rewrite its own story. In taking this test, the Ganga Girls were were claiming space, choosing courage, and becoming a quiet revolution.

After completing the course, many graduates began working as raft-guide interns and safety kayakers, proving that women are equally capable of leading, managing safety, and guiding others on challenging whitewater rivers.

I am deeply thankful to our ACA instructors — Elisha, Jeremy, Julie, and Jessica — for their patience, guidance and belief in us. Their teaching helped shape us into confident and responsible river professionals. None of this would be possible without the Nari Nauka program, Worldwide Women of Whitewater, and Red Chilli Adventure. Thank you.

I want to give a special thank you to our filmmaker, Sarah, who documented this journey despite many challenges. Filming on the river meant long days, changing weather, cold water, strong currents, and safety risks. Through it all, she stood with us and captured our story with honesty and care.

Every stroke we take on the river is a reminder that strength has no gender, it flows through anyone who dares to chase their dream.

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Guest contributor Priyanka Rana is a whitewater kayaker and certified female raft guide from India. Raised on the banks of the Ganga River, she has built her life around moving water, combining technical skill with a deep respect for river culture. She now works as a raft guide and safety kayaker on her home river, the Ganga, and is dedicated to expanding opportunities for women in paddle sports. You can follow her journey on Instagram: @bhupipinki.