Defence Secretary Flags-in Expeditions to Mt Everest and Mt Kilimanjaro

Defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh formally flagged-in mountaineering expeditions to Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro at an event organised in South Block, New Delhi on July 17. The expedition to Mount Everest was conducted to commemorate 60 glorious years of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. It was organised in collaboration with the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling, West Bengal and Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIM&WS), Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. The expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa’s highest peak) was organised by HMI and undertaken by a team comprising a handicap member Uday Kumar with above-knee amputation.

In his address, the defence secretary lauded the indomitable spirit, determination and courage of both the teams, emphasising that these missions were not just about scaling the peaks, but also about showcasing India’s mountaineering excellence and leadership in adventure sports activities. By successfully summiting Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro, teams have set new benchmarks to inspire young mountaineers across the country and the world at large, he said.

Singh added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always emphasised the importance of youth empowerment, self-reliance and adventure as a source of building a strong, resilient and fearless India. He termed the four mountaineering institutes of ministry of defence, HMI, NIM, JIM&WS and National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), as shining examples of this vision.

The expedition to Mount Everest was led by principal, NIM Col Anshuman Bhadauria. The other team members were Col Hem Chandra Singh (deputy leader) and instructors from the three institutes Rakesh Singh Rana, Sub Bahadur Pahan, Hav Rajendra Mukhiya, Nk Thupstan Tsewang and Shri Pasang Tenzing Sherpa. The team climbed through the Khumbu Valley and summited Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, on May 23.

The expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro was led by principal, HMI, Darjeeling Gp Capt. Jai Kishan. The other team members were Captain Shruti, Sub Mahendra Kumar Yadav, Pawel Sharma and Sulaxchana Tamang. On 8 August 2024, the expedition team set a world record by displaying the largest national flag atop Mount Kilimanjaro. Subsequently, the team displayed the national flag underwater at a depth of 35 feet in the Indian Ocean off Dar es Salaam, Tanzania followed by first-ever tandem skydive by a handicap team on the African continent. This expedition set milestones across all the three domains land, water and air.