Relief Riders International (RRI) is a humanitarian-based, adventure travel company that organizes horseback journeys through breathtaking areas in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, India.

Over the last six years Relief Riders International has held ten successful Relief Rides. During this period we were able to design and develop far reaching medical and educational programs providing school supplies, goats, medical care and cataract surgeries to rural communities in Rajasthan.

Our free general medical camps provided us with the medical data to design and develop programs such as:

GIVE THE GIFT OF SIGHT: a program that offers free cataract surgeries to villagers in rural areas.

GIVE A GOAT: a free livestock distribution program providing villagers with sustainable solutions for nutrition.

PEDIATRIC/EDUCATIONAL CAMPS: a program designed to address the needs for education, nutrition and hygiene through the distribution of school supplies, de-worming and interactive group discussions.

To date, our medical programs have given us the opportunity to treat close to 16,000 villagers, including 10,200 children.

Building on the success of these programs we are always researching new ways to provide effective medical care to rural areas. Relief Riders International recently developed a successful free Dental Surgery Program. Villagers will be able to receive free dental care and minor surgeries on our Relief Rides scheduled for the winter of 2011.

This past year was spent launching Relief Workers International offering a different travel experience while incorporating the same humanitarian programs without the use of horses.

We are pleased to announce the continuation of our Relief Ride adventures with three extra-ordinary rides scheduled for 2010/11 These rides will take us through the breathtaking, semi-mountainous and desert regions of southern Rajasthan.

Your Relief Ride adventure is led by Executive Director Alexander Souri and the Relief Riders International staff comprising of Executive Medical Director, Dr. Arora; Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Vinoy Vigneshwar and Project Manager, Jajvalya Shukla.

Alexander Souri – Founder & Executive Director
Alexander Souri founded Relief Riders International in 2004 and Relief Workers International in 2008. He designs and supervises the relief missions, coordinates the work of the core team, and directs marketing and sales efforts for both RRI and RWI.

Prior to founding Relief Riders International Mr. Souri worked as a producer in both theater and film. He has worked on successful projects such as “The Matrix” and “X-Men,” and directed commercials and industrial films in China.

Born in New York City to a French mother and an Indian father, Mr. Souri has always had a global perspective on life. As a young boy he was educated at a boarding school in India; he attended an international high school in Sophia Antipolis in Valbonnes, France, and later graduated from Simon’s Rock of Bard College in Great Barrington, MA.

Alexander Souri has written: “Relief Riders International is designed to offer individuals not only an exhilarating journey but the chance to use their skills, enthusiasm and experience to promote positive change. I know from my own travels to Rajasthan that for every gift I have given I have received gifts that have changed my life.”

Dr. Mahesh Arora – Executive Medical Director
Dr. Arora is a Physician and Administrative Director and holds an Master of Philosophy in “Hospitals and Health Systems Management” from the country’s premier institute of Science and Technology – The Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan in collaboration with CMC Vellore and Tulane University, USA.

Dr. Arora has vast field experience in various disaster situations. With a rich experience of over 25 years in the Indian Red Cross Society, ranging from national to international assignments, Dr. Arora has spearheaded and led critical assignments for disaster response during the earthquake in Bhuj, Gujarat and has headed the Red Cross International delegation for needs assessment in the tsunami hit coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.

Dr. Vinoy Vighneswar BAMS – Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Vinoy graduated in Ayurvedic Medicine from the University of Kerala in 1997 then started Ayurvaidya health and wellness centre at Kovalam that same year. He has conducted seminars and workshops on the Basic Principles of Ayurveda in Helsinki, Murrla and Tampere in Finland (2001 July and 2002 August. Dr. Vinoy is co-promoter of World Ayurveda Congress in Cochin, Kerala 2002. He is President of the Kovalam Unit of Ayurvedic Medical Association of India. Dr.Vinoy has been Relief Riders International Chief Medical Officer and Consultant Physician to Relief Riders International since 2004.

Jajvalya Shukla ­­­­­­– Project Manager
Our newest team member, Jajvalya Shukla, made his debut this winter with Relief Workers International playing an important role in co-coordinating RWI’s inaugural trip. He is a Master Classical Tabla Instructor as well as a Certified Pranic Healer.

Alexander Souri

Dr. Mahesh Arora treating patients at Medical Camp in Pachar

Dr Vinoy

Jajvalya Shukla performing a Classical Tabla piece.