Hi. My name is Venkatesh, also known as Venky. I was born in one of the oldest towns in India called Varanasi. I'm currently studying Master of International Business at Queen's University Canada. Adventure sports such as hiking, rock climbing, kayaking are my soul. I love outdoors. I'm not much of a party person. I love nature, peace, and open spaces. I was an entrepreneur. I started my travel startup called UpHill Inc. in the second year of my undergrad. We started it with zero investment, and within six months of our operations, we achieved revenue of over 100,000 Indian Rupees. I'm an introvert. I take time to socialise and open up to people.

My Passions
Hiking
Travelling
Entrepreneurship
Photography
Problem Solving

My Achievements
Personal Growth: CEO, Co-founder, Head Marketing & Operations, and a trek leader at UpHill
Senior Startup Advisor: Advised junior members of National Entrepreneurship Network in college regarding startups, management & leadership
Trail Leader: Led a group of 50 people for a 12-hour hike during the monsoon season in India
Hike Marathon: Hiked six peaks of the Tatra National Park, Poland in one day
Co-founder & Vice President: Co-founded the high school Model United Nations (MUN) society

My Life Motto
"Go against the grain, be resilient even if everyone thinks you're crazy."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I came to know about Couchsurfing from one of my friends when I was in my high school. I was 16 years old, and I didn't know much about CS at that time. But in 2015, I went for an internship to Poland where I met dozens of travellers who used Couchsurfing. After hearing their crazy stories, I recollected what my friend told me back in high school. Couchsurfing has revolutionised the way people travel. And now, I too want to be a part of this community.

Interests

Hiking, Travelling, Entrepreneurship, Photography, Problem Solving. I love heights rather than depths. Although I've kayaked, rafted and snorkelled before, depths are not my cup of tea.

• culture
• books
• dining
• indian food
• movies
• traveling
• music
• folk music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• sports
• business
• entrepreneurship
• adventure travel
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Music
Coldplay, Linkin Park, Ed Sheeran, Ben Howard, Jose Gonzalez, Imagine Dragons.

Movies
Into The Wild, La Vie En Rose, Life Is Beautiful, Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, The Schindler's List, Sound of Music, Godfather Series, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Books
Not a big fan of books.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've biked on a mountain for 5km at an altitude of 1200m (3940 feet) in the Polish Tatra Mountains. I've hiked six peaks in a day. I have spent a night in a natural cave on a mountain peak. I've been on a winter expedition in the Himalayas for five days at an altitude of 4000m (13100 feet) in -25˚C.

Teach, Learn, Share

I believe through Couchsurfing one can teach, learn and share a lot. CS allows the surfers to share interesting things about their culture, language, traditions and customs. Living with a host family in a different country is the best thing one could ask.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share information about Indian culture. I could teach them basic Hindi words. I can sing Hindi songs, share music, Bollywood movies, Indian food, etc.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Egypt, India, Poland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Egypt, India, Poland