Southern India

Jinu William Payoor

Jinu William Payoor was born in the southern Indian state of Kerala on January 1st, 1979. His studies in school and proximity to a small but increasing trickle of foreign travelers brought the world outside India clearly into his mind and life. Jinu’s mastery of language and music made it easy for him to travel and communicate with locals of southern India as well as those traveling from Europe and beyond. The elements of family, music, and travel have guided his life and allowed him to succeed as a professional musician in Europe throughout the past ten years as well as building a consistent clientele of travelers for local tours in his region.

Jinu is fluent in English, German, Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam as well as the cultural norms for the area and has proven to be a knowledgeable guide for all of southern India in a career spanning a full decade. His ability to sincerely bond with traveler and local alike have become his finest gift in life, a gift he shares with all who come into contact with him.

North Star Journeys teamed with Jinu in 2003 to aid in the construction of Jinu’s independent company, North Star South India. Jinu’s dream of creating a self sufficient tour company has taken root. The NSSI office opened in Alleppey, Kerala in November of 2004 and offers a variety of services to local travelers as well as a base for operations of tours performed solely for North Star Journeys. In conversations with Jinu over the past several years he has described the dream of business as “a flower blooming in my mind”. His dream has become a reality, not just for himself but for the dozens of families that his company now employs. This employment allows the community access to jobs of high quality with the benefits of education, consistent employment, and good wages while allowing all to share their world with others. Jinu’s dream has proven to become a benefit to his family, his community, and the world of travelers interested in southern India.

North Star Journeys is proud to introduce North Star South India as our sole guide contractor for the Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Karnataka.

Northern India

Rakesh Chandra Singh

Rakesh Chandra Singh was born in northeastern India in 1977 and has completed his B.A. at the Kalimpong College in West Bengal. His degree in Hospitality, the Tourism Industry, and Advanced Computer Applications has proven to be invaluable throughout his years as a professional guide. His work as a guide has covered areas all across India including: Assam, Sikkim, Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, and his native area of West Bengal. His work has allowed him to guide travelers as far afield as Bhutan and Nepal but his focus for North Star Journeys covers the lowlands of Kolkatta to the high ranges of the Himalayas. His education also includes governmental training in Trekking, Technical Climbing, and a two year course in Auto and Motorcycle Mechanics Training. Rakesh has said, “Traveling in India, it can be as important to know how to fix the vehicle as it is to know the route to the destination. They are one and the same!”

North Star Journeys teamed with Rakesh during 2004 in order to help him become the owner of his own tour company. He is currently the sole owner of North Star North India and the personal guide for all North Star Journeys Tours in the region. The creation of his company as a contractor to North Star Journeys has allowed him to embark upon the lifelong goal of creating a company that allows him, his family, and members of his community to grow in security, education, and interaction with the world outside his region. Rakesh’s abilities to foresee the needs of those around him, whether they are the needs of his community or the needs of the traveler, have provided him with the focus to succeed at all aspects of this difficult industry.

North Star Journeys is proud to introduce North Star North India as our sole guide contractor for the Indian states of West Bengal, Sikkim, and Assam.