The Director of Tourism for Arunachal Pradesh, Pige Ligu welcomes SARSI as a positive development for tourism in the province. His involvement in an exploratory rafting trip down the Subansiri in 2006 fermented his support for an institute teaching river skills. His vision guides the development of the institute in Arunachal Pradesh, and his hard work has resulted in the donation of a building for the institute’s use on the Yong-Bo River in Along, Arunachal Pradesh.

Roland first went rafting on the Ganges River while living in India in 1992. He attended Whitewater Voyages’ guide school in 1998 and was asked to return to work as a guide. Since then, he has guided on rivers all over California, Oregon, the Grand Canyon, and most recently in India. His company, RiverIndia, is a major SARSI sponsor, and conducts premiere expeditions on the Brahmaputra River, in Arunachal Pradesh. He is a Wilderness First Responder and has taught guide schools in California for 6 years. He volunteers his time as SARSI’s head instructor.