About Aaghun

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For over two decades, Abhijit Gogoi travelled across Assam as a journalist, documenting its people, cultures, landscapes and untold stories. Behind every assignment, however, one question continued to grow, can tourism become a force that protects nature, strengthens communities and transforms lives?

That question eventually became his life's work.

After 22 years in journalism, including senior editorial responsibilities in electronic media, Abhijit made an uncommon decision. In 2022, he stepped away from a successful career to dedicate himself entirely to sustainable tourism and community development. It was not a career change - it was a change in purpose.

Today, he works at the intersection of tourism, conservation, rural development, storytelling and mindful living, believing that tourism should leave a destination richer than it was before.

Long before tourism became his full-time profession, Abhijit spent over 15 years working with local communities across Assam to create tourism models that generate livelihoods while preserving culture, heritage and nature.

One of his earliest initiatives transformed Joramukhuria village near Chandubi from a resource-dependent settlement into a recognised example of community-based tourism.

In Dima Hasao, he played a significant role in repositioning a region once associated with conflict into an emerging tourism destination through destination branding, documentary films, coffee-table publications and authentic storytelling that highlighted its extraordinary landscapes and indigenous cultures.

He later conceptualised and led the Destination Khumtai Project, a year-long initiative demonstrating how structured, community-led tourism can revitalise rural economies while preserving local identity. Today, its impact continues to be visible across the region.

His work has always been guided by one simple belief, Communities should not merely host tourism. They should grow because of it.

Abhijit's work is perhaps best known for redefining the way people experience Kaziranga.

While the world celebrates Kaziranga for its iconic one-horned rhinoceros, he believes its greatest treasures extend far beyond the national park.

His vision - "Kaziranga Beyond the National Park", encourages travellers to discover villages, forests, wetlands, tea gardens, indigenous communities, local cuisine, traditional crafts and everyday rural life. The objective is simple: encourage longer stays, distribute tourism benefits beyond the protected area, reduce pressure on wildlife habitats and create year-round livelihood opportunities for local communities.

This philosophy eventually gave birth to Aaghun Homestay.

Not as a business alone, but as a living example of responsible tourism.

Abhijit has long believed that adventure can become a powerful catalyst for destination development.

He is the co-founder and organiser of the North East TSD Rally, Assam's largest Time-Speed-Distance car rally, besides several marathons, ultra runs, cycling expeditions and endurance events that connect people with places in meaningful ways.

His latest initiative, WTRP (Walk • Trek • Run • Pedal), is a community-driven model where local people are not spectators but stakeholders. Every experience is designed to generate livelihoods, encourage conservation and celebrate indigenous knowledge while offering travellers authentic connections with the region.

Abhijit actively collaborates with government departments, tourism organisations, academic institutions and local communities on destination development, responsible tourism and homestay policy.

His philosophy remains consistent: Never advocate what you have not practised.

Whether it is sustainable hospitality, community participation, waste reduction or responsible tourism, every idea he promotes has first been implemented, tested and refined through real-world experience.

In 2022, Abhijit and his wife, Samadrita Rudraj Bora - a nutrition professional and food educator, made another life-changing decision.

Together with their son and mother, they left behind the comfort of urban life and moved to a small village near Kaziranga, investing their family's savings to establish Aaghun.

Their son, who once studied in one of Guwahati's leading schools, now attends a village school - a conscious choice reflecting their belief that values, empathy and lived experiences matter more than prestige.

Their home embraces locally grown food, mindful consumption, simplicity and deep respect for nature.

The life they live is the hospitality they offer.

Beyond tourism, Abhijit is a practitioner of Vipassana meditation, yoga and mindful living.

He believes that the quality of a journey depends not on how much we see, but on how deeply we experience it.

In a world driven by speed and constant distraction, he advocates slowing down - walking instead of rushing, listening instead of consuming, connecting instead of merely visiting.

This philosophy naturally shapes Aaghun.

Guests are encouraged to wake with birdsong, share meals around a family table, explore villages on foot or by bicycle, embrace digital detox, savour seasonal food and discover the quiet luxury of simplicity.

For Abhijit, the greatest luxury is not extravagance - it is peace of mind.

Today, Abhijit continues to work with communities, governments, institutions and fellow travellers to shape a future where tourism is measured not only by visitor numbers, but by its positive impact on people, culture and nature.

Through Aaghun, his mission remains unchanged, to cultivate journeys that enrich travellers, empower communities and leave the world a little better than it was before.

"The richest harvest is not what we gather for ourselves, but what we leave behind for others."