A San Francisco-based entrepreneur, Vikram "Vik" Uppal co-founded Aid India, which partners with other organizations to provide financial assistance for the country's most vulnerable families. When he isn't busy with Aid India, Vikram Uppal enjoys hiking in his hometown. Given its location along the Pacific Coast, San Francisco and its surrounding area offer an array of beautiful hiking trails. Here are three to check out when visiting the city. 1. Pillar Point Bluff - Located half a mile from the Pillar Point Air Force Station in nearby San Mateo County, this 220-acre bluff top is designated as a Marine Protected Area and includes a portion of the California Coast Trail.2. Marin Headlands - A 2,000-acre coastal landform located across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, the Marin Headlands is a nature lover's playground, with winding trails varying in difficulty and a variety of eye-catching sights, such as the Point Bonita Lighthouse and multiple protected pebble beaches. The premier hiking trails in the Marin Headlands are the Rodeo Lagoon Trail and Point Bonita Trail, which are 1.5 miles and a half-mile in length, respectively.3. Land’s End - This 1.5-mile moderate-difficulty hike begins at the Land’s End Lookout and continues east along the Coastal Trail up to Eagle's Point Overlook, which provides a scenic oceanside backdrop for photos.
As co-founder of Aid India, Vikram "Vik" Uppal raises funds, organizes events, and identifies India-based organizations with which to partner to serve India's most vulnerable families. An avid reader, Vikram Uppal counts Moneyball by Michael Lewis as one of his favorite books. Referred to as "the single most influential baseball book ever" by Slate's Rob Neyer, Moneyball details the on-field success of the Oakland Athletics, aka the A's, during the early 2000s and the unique way in which general manager Billy Beane put together his roster despite having the league's second-lowest budget. The book highlights Beane's use of non-traditional player evaluation tools in facilitating the team's success during the 2002 season.No stranger to baseball, Beane was a first-round pick of the New York Mets in the 1980 Major League Baseball (MLB) amateur draft, playing 148 big-league games through six seasons before beginning his front office career with the A’s in 1990. After five years as a scout, Beane was promoted to the role of general manager in 1997 and held onto the position until 2015, when he was promoted to vice president in charge of baseball operations. Although the A’s failed to win a World Series under his leadership, the team recorded a .565 winning percentage during his tenure, while two Oakland players each won a league MVP award. He was named Baseball America's MLB Executive of the Year in 2002 and Sporting News Executive of the Year in 1999.
Vikram Uppal is the co-founder of AID India in San Francisco, California. He has led the organization in all areas of philanthropy for more than 15 years. Vikram “Vik” Uppal engages with several additional charitable organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area.Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area manages several unique programs, including Community-Based Mentoring services. The organization’s core program, community mentoring involves pairing a highly qualified adult mentor, known as a Big, with one of the program’s enrolled children, a Little. Pairs regularly meet in one-on-one scenarios that allow both parties to develop trust and, from the Big’s perspective, a more nuanced understanding of a particular child’s needs.There are no strict guidelines dictating how Bigs and Littles spend their time, except that activities should appeal to shared interests. Common examples include attending athletic events, engaging in various outdoor activities, and attending community attractions such as museums or zoos. Big Brothers Big Sisters focuses on the bond Bigs and Littles develop, which ideally translates to better grades for children, stronger relationships with family and friends, and a decreased risk for drug and alcohol abuse.
Based in San Francisco, Vikram Uppal is an entrepreneur who also maintains a strong community focus as co-founder of the charitable organization Aid India. An avid traveler, Vik Uppal has traveled to locales around the world including Italy, Thailand, China, and Morocco. One of the premier outdoor destinations in Morocco is the Atlas mountains, which span 1,200 miles from Tunisia to Agadir, a port on the Atlantic coast. Trekkers typically stay within four distinct areas: Sahro, Sirwa, Toubkal, and M’goun. The latter offers a relatively large population and lush vegetation, while the first two are hotter and less traveled. Easily accessed from Marrakesh, Toubkal features North Africa’s highest peak Jbel Toubkal, which reaches 13,671 feet and is popular among climbers.For many, one of the highlights of the Atlas mountains is the chance to encounter rare birdlife, with the region providing a critical refuge for many larger avian species. Among those to watch for are Bonelli's Eagle, Moussier's Redstart, and the Barbary Falcon. There are also ancient terraced Berber villages dotting the mountains, with many featuring compact houses, mosques, and wells within the traditional fortifications of compacted mud walls.
