NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday flagged in a mountaineering expedition that achieved the first recorded ascents of 20 previously unclimbed peaks above 6,000 metres in Ladakh within 23 days.
The expedition was carried out by a 20-member team from the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), Dirang, led by Col Ranveer Singh Jamwal.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the team summited 20 unclimbed peaks in the Chamser-Lungser, Gyama Nala and Chokula regions of the Ladakh Range, marking what it described as the first recorded ascents of these peaks.
During an interaction with the climbers at the flag-in ceremony in New Delhi, Singh congratulated the team on the achievement and said the expedition highlighted India’s capabilities in mountaineering and adventure sports.
The ministry said the expedition involved extensive planning and required technical expertise, endurance and teamwork in high-altitude conditions. It added that the initiative was aimed at promoting adventure and exploration in remote mountain regions and encouraging greater participation in mountaineering.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and other senior Ministry of Defence officials were present at the ceremony held at Kartavya Bhavan-2.
The expedition was undertaken in Ladakh and concluded with the team completing ascents of all 20 peaks during the 23-day mission, officials said.
