Rameez Makhdoomi
World has seen iconic explorers and travelers like Harriet Chalmers Adams who was an American explorer, writer and photographer. She traveled extensively in South America, Asia and the South Pacific in the early 20th century, and published accounts of her journeys in the National Geographic magazine. She lectured frequently on her travels and illustrated her talks with color slides and movies. Dominick Arduin, a Frenchwoman who disappeared in her attempt to ski to the North Pole. Ann Bancroft (born September 29, 1955) is an American author, teacher, and adventurer. She was the first woman to successfully finish a number of arduous expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. Jeanne Baret (sometimes spelled Baré or Barret) (July 27, 1740 – August 5, 1807) was a member of Louis Antoine de Bougainville’s expedition on the ships La Boudeuse and Étoilein 1766–1769. Baret is recognized as the first woman to have completed a voyage of circumnavigation. Besides many other iconic women explorers and travelers. In our times, we have number of dynamic women explorers and travelers proving their mettle.
Rutavi Mehta, a young and talented women explorer and traveler from Maharashtra India is one such name.
Rutavi Mehta is a woman with iron will who converts hardships into opportunities and makes every daunting job look an easy task. Rutavi Mehta was the part of the recently concluded Kerala Blog Express Lead Team. Pertinently, in a keenly fought online contest, 25 of the world’s top travel bloggers from as many as 13 countries have been selected for a trip on board the ‘Kerala Blog Express’ organized by the state tourism department.
Rutavi Mehta is the founder of prestigious PhotoKatha (where if you break Photo means picture, and Katha is Hindi word, where it means “stories”). Pertinently, Idea came to her mind when she visited first time to the world famous festival location in the desert named as “Kutch Festival, Gujarat”. She was invited by Gujarat Tourism to experience Kutch Festival, click photographs and send it across to them. During this visit, along with her team Rutavi thought about conveying the emotions, cultures, stories of places and photos they took to world. This idea eventually developed into “Photokatha”. After great brain storming with her team, the logo was again a mix of Hindi and English characters to keep the Indian culture intact.
With her great traveling experience to several countries of Europe, Srilanka, Qatar, she decided to quit corporate life and take sabbatical break to start Photokatha full-fledged with no support from market and no investment as well. Photokatha now creates great value for money by providing personalised packages where she has shared her experience of stays and travel, backpackers, luxury trips depending on the review done by Photokatha team. Along with travel world of Rutavi Mehta and Photokatha both are digitally quiet active , Photokatha also runs social media campaign across India and international for companies like National Geographic, Standard Chartered, AXN, Castrol, Garnier, Turtle on the beach, etc sector wise as well manage their online campaigns and India, world trending activity as well. As a matter of fact, PhotoKatha has been swiftly gaining popularity on online platforms like Facebook and Twitter with impressive following.
To her credit, Rutavi Mehta has shined since her childhood. She Stood 1st in Maharashtra Board in her matriculation exams. Been a good student throughout school, active in sports like basketball, Captain of her school was something she managed as well. She pursued under graduation in arts from Mumbai`s famous College- Jai Hind College, where culture and arts were in built with each student. Then Bachelors in International Hotel Management from Institute of Technology & Management affiliated with Queen Margaret University, Scotland, UK where she stood second in the final year, being the only student to be trained in India’s Best Luxury Hotel –Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai.
From Seas to Mountains, Rutavi Mehta is emerging as a role model for global travelers and explorers and her achievements are more important and provide relief in this era when one sees so much wrong being committed against women. One hope Rutavi Mehta would not only inspire millions but scale new heights of triumph in the coming years in the world of travel and exploration.
For the moment, her travel and exploration charisma is shinning on global radar.
(The Writer can be reached at rameezh3@gmail.com)