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“I used to sit in my corporate cubicle, staring at the screen, but my mind was always wandering toward the mountains.”
That’s how Dheeraj Surapaneni describes the beginning of a journey that would eventually impact thousands of lives.
Like many working professionals, Dheeraj was balancing a demanding corporate career while raising two children. Yet there was a question he couldn’t shake:
Are we letting city chaos dictate how we live?
When a Weekend Trek Became a Lifelong Mission
In 2011, Dheeraj decided that the outdoors shouldn’t be reserved for an occasional escape.
What started as a simple weekend trek with a few friends in Hyderabad soon evolved into something much bigger.
He discovered that the strongest human connections aren’t built in conference rooms or board meetings.
They’re built around campfires. On mountain trails. Under starlit skies.
That realization led to the birth of HATS (Hyderabad Adventure and Trekking Club).
Over the last 15 years, HATS has grown into one of Hyderabad’s most vibrant outdoor communities, bringing together adventure seekers, nature lovers, and people looking to create unforgettable memories.
Today, the numbers tell an incredible story:
– 10,000+ community members
– 1,000+ outdoor experiences
– 30+ events every year
– Activities ranging from trekking and camping to kayaking and stargazing
The Day Everything Changed
Community building often looks exciting from the outside. What people don’t see is the responsibility that comes with it.
One of Dheeraj’s biggest wake-up calls happened early in the HATS journey.
What was originally planned as a small outing for five people unexpectedly grew into a group of fifty. Midway through the trip, severe weather conditions caused water levels near the campsite to rise rapidly.
Standing there and looking at the faces of people who trusted him with their safety, Dheeraj realised something important.
“Passion alone wasn’t enough”
Every experience needed backup plans. Then backup plans for the backup plans. Safety could never be an afterthought.
That moment fundamentally shaped how HATS would operate in the years that followed.
The Hidden Challenge of Growing Communities
As HATS continued to grow, a new challenge emerged i.e. OPERATIONS.
Managing a thriving community of thousands isn’t as simple as organizing events. It involves registrations, payments, communications, schedules, media, member engagement, and countless moving parts.
Over time, Dheeraj found himself navigating:
– 300+ WhatsApp groups
– Endless Google Drive folders
– Complex Excel sheets
– Manual payment tracking
– Lost announcements buried under chat floods
The very thing he had built to escape chaos was becoming increasingly chaotic to manage. As Dheeraj puts it:
“I found myself trapped in a maze of WhatsApp groups, Google Drive folders, and spreadsheets. The very passion that made me leave my corporate routine was getting swallowed up by operational chaos.”
Finding a Better Way
A mutual connection through BNI Global, Seshadri Padigala, introduced Dheeraj to the FlocknGo team. During the conversation, something remarkable happened.
As the team demonstrated the platform, Dheeraj immediately recognized the problems it was designed to solve.
His response was simple but powerful:
“How do you know every single challenge I face? It’s like you built this exactly for me.”
For community builders, that feeling is rare. It’s what happens when technology genuinely understands the realities of running communities at scale.
Bringing HATS Into One Structured Home
Today, Dheeraj is moving HATS away from fragmented tools and WhatsApp clutter. With FlocknGo, he now has a centralized platform to:
– Organize events and registrations
– Share event photos and albums
– Manage community calendars
– Collect payments seamlessly
– Deliver important updates directly to members
– Communicate through personalized one-to-one WhatsApp messages
Instead of spending hours every day managing operations, he can focus on what matters most: Creating extraordinary outdoor experiences.
When we explained how FlocknGo could eliminate nearly 90% of the daily administrative workload, Dheeraj simply smiled. He already knew how much of a difference that would make.
Experience the Magic of HATS
If you’ve ever wanted to experience the outdoors through a passionate and welcoming community, HATS is a great place to start.
From mountain trails and campsites to kayaking adventures and stargazing nights, every experience is designed to bring people together and create memories that last a lifetime.
Because the best communities aren’t built around notifications. They’re built around experiences.
