Sumit Raj
Founder
Sumit Raj was born in 1967 in Shimla. He is a writer, a poet, a tour guide, a passionate walker with an encyclopedic knowledge of Shimla City, a speaker and a trainer. His father, a railway engineer by profession was also a well-known Urdu poet, was never interested in leaving Shimla. But because of his official transfers, he had to move first to Rohtak and then to Delhi. Hence, Sumit’s phase of academic education was spread over these three towns. Still, despite being a nature lover and a writer he could not acquire the culture of big towns.
Sumit and his Books
Now he tells stories, conducts walks, writes books about his travels, and runs an experience providing company, Shimla Walks. He is a perfect tour companion for the Himalayan valley outings. He also helps those British who return to Shimla looking for their family history. In his words, “It is impossible for me to live away from the mountains. Mountains travel like blood in my veins and when I inhale; they enter my mind and soul”.
Sumit has a vast store of knowledge of Shimla and the culture of Indian Western Himalaya. He started working here as a Heritage Tour Guide in 2000 and has Studied in detail the Origin & History of Shimla. He says, ‘Interestingly my clients are those British who come to see the old houses built by their parents and Grand Parents. Many of them were born, grew up, and studied here’.
Click here for his YourTube Channel.