Latest news with #NationalInstituteofMountaineeringandAdventureSports
Hans India
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Kavitha creates history in river rafting expedition
New Delhi/Srikakulam: In a remarkable display of courage and endurance, Major Kavitha Vasupalli, a medical officer in the Indian Army, has made history as the sole woman participant in a world-record-setting Brahmaputra river rafting expedition. The team navigated a staggering 1,040 kilometre in just 28 days, travelling from Gelling village near the Indo-Tibetan border to Hatsingimari, close to the Indo-Bangladesh border. A native of Metturu village in Srikakulam district, Major Kavitha faced formidable challenges. She braved Grade 4+ rapids, freezing waters, and multiple raft flips. Undeterred by nature's fury, she demonstrated not only incredible physical resilience but also immense mental fortitude. This journey was a battle against the river's wildest forces, demanding peak physical fitness and unwavering emotional and mental endurance. Major Kavitha's journey represents the spirit of the modern Indian soldier: bold, compassionate, and unstoppable. In recognition of her selfless service and indomitable spirit, she was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal on Republic Day 2025. She also received the COAS Commendation Card for her life-saving medical actions during the Mt. Gorichen summit expedition. Her participation in the expedition is an inspiration, particularly for women in rural India, proving that courage knows no gender and grit has no boundaries. The historic expedition was led by Col Ranveer Singh Jamwal, a renowned adventurer, Tenzing Norgay Awardee, and a three-time Everest summiteer. As the director of the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), his leadership was instrumental in turning the journey into a landmark achievement in global adventure sports. World Book of Records, London, also gave a certificate of participation in the adventurous journey in Brahmaputra to her. Kavitha's name was entered in World Book of Records in March 2025 for her achievement for the river rafting expedition.
The Star
15-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Sikkim locals fume as India-Nepal climbers ‘defile' sacred Kangchenjunga, world's third-highest peak
KOLKATA: It was in May 1955 that a British mountaineering team successfully climbed Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain at 8,586m, for the first time. But members of this expedition did not step onto the peak of the mountain on the border of Nepal and India. They instead stopped about 1.5m short of the summit, in deference to the wishes of locals in the region, who venerate this Himalayan mountain and did not want the climbers to sully its sacred peak by stepping onto it. More than 70 years later, locals in the small Indian state of Sikkim, which lies in the heart of the Himalayas between Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, are fuming over a mountaineering team having done just that. A team comprising representatives from the Indian and Nepalese armies scaled Kangchenjunga's peak in two waves on May 19 and 20, as part of the Indian government's Har Shikhar Tiranga (Hindi for 'A Tricolour Atop Every Peak') initiative aimed at hoisting the Indian national flag on the highest point in all 28 Indian states. The expedition, which flagged off on March 26, was organised by the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (Nimas), which functions under India's Ministry of Defence and is based in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. As the Indian side of the mountain remains closed to climbers, the team approached it from Nepal. Nevertheless, the ascent to the top of Kangchenjunga has angered locals in Sikkim, particularly members of the Bhutia and Lepcha communities, most of whom are Buddhists and consider the mountain as a guardian deity who has watched over them and their land for generations. 'They have defiled the sanctity of our Kangchenjunga,' said Tseten Tashi Bhutia, the convenor of Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (Siblac) – an organisation that represents the rights and interests of these two communities – and a former minister with a previous state government in Sikkim. The controversy has ignited concerns that the centuries-old religious and cultural traditions of indigenous Buddhist communities in Sikkim, India's second-smallest state with a population of around 632,000, were disregarded to generate patriotic fervour. It also highlighted the power dynamics between the central government, which organised the climb, and the state government, which expressly prohibits any climb atop Kangchenjunga. Sikkim has maintained a formal climbing ban atop Kangchenjunga since 2001, one that followed another controversy in 2000 when the state government allowed an Austrian team to attempt the near-vertical trek up the peak in exchange for US$20,000. The team failed to make it to the summit. 'Whatever has happened, has happened. Now damage control has to be done,' Bhutia told The Straits Times, stressing the need for a 'purification ritual' to placate their guardian deity. He also called for an apology from the climbers as well as the central government that organised the climb and the state government that failed to stop it. 'This type of blunder should also not be repeated in the future,' he added. Neither the climbers nor the Indian government has issued any statement following the controversy. ST approached Nimas for a comment but did not receive a response. On June 12, Siblac issued a statement saying that the recent climb had 'deeply hurt the religious and cultural sentiments' of the Bhutias and Lepchas, and formally called for an apology. The Lepchas believe they are descendants of ancestors who were created out of the snow of the holy Kangchenjunga. Locals in the state also celebrate their unique relationship with the mountain during Pang Lhabsol, an annual festival that commemorates the consecration of Kangchenjunga as the guardian deity of Sikkim. Siblac will organise a Buddhist purification ritual on June 15 at the Kabi Lungchok sacred grove in North Sikkim to seek the deity's forgiveness and 'restore the spiritual harmony and sanctity of our land'. It was at this historic forest site that the Blood Brotherhood Treaty was signed between the Lepchas and Bhutias in the 13th century, marking the beginning of Sikkim's unified rule. Kangchenjunga was invoked as a witness to the signing of this key treaty. Locals fear angering their guardian deity could cause natural disasters, something the state has often been afflicted with. On June 1, a landslide hit the site of an army camp in Sikkim following days of heavy rains, killing at least six individuals. Anger following the ascent has been widespread in Sikkim. A video of Sikkimese children pleading with everyone not to climb their revered mountain has been circulating online and even Sikkim's Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who heads the state government, expressed his concern. He wrote to India's Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah on May 24 describing the recent ascent as 'a violation of both the prevailing legal provisions and the deeply held religious beliefs of the people of Sikkim'. Sikkim has maintained a formal climbing ban atop not just Kangchenjunga but also eight other sacred peaks since 2001. However, ascents are made from time to time from the Nepalese side of Kangchenjunga. But Bhutia said the expedition team, irrespective of their approach path, had violated the sacred peak. 'They have blown the law (preventing any ascent on Kangchenjunga) to smithereens,' he said. In his letter, Tamang also urged the Indian government to convince Nepal to ensure that no further expeditions are permitted on Kangchenjunga. The demand for such a climbing restriction is not unique. China, for instance, prevents any climbing activity on Mount Kailash in Tibet, given its deep religious significance for followers of not just Buddhism, but also Hinduism, Jainism and Bon, an indigenous religion practised in Tibet. Even Nepal, which has otherwise embraced mountain tourism enthusiastically, bans climbing on Machhapuchhare, an iconic 6,993m mountain whose name translates to 'fishtail' and which is revered by local Gurung people. Jiwan Rai, a political commentator based in Sikkim's capital Gangtok, said it is important to view Kangchenjunga similarly through a 'time-honoured Sikkimese lens', one that does not consider the mountain as a 'trophy for adventurers' but a symbol of cultural heritage and 'the pinnacle of religious identity' for a significant section of the state's people. 'This centuries-old indigenous world view now stands desecrated for the sake of some thrill to be felt by army personnel. Isn't that a massive cultural cost?' Rai told ST. Furthermore, the recent ascent of Kangchenjunga is being seen as an affront to not just Sikkimese cultural and religious values, but also their political rights. Rai added that the Sikkim state government had failed to uphold its rights by not preventing the Indian government-led climb despite its official ban on any ascent atop Kangchenjunga. 'This lapse reveals the current government's inability to withstand pressure from the centre. The only way to disprove this perception is by firmly demanding recompense for the violation of law and redress for the cultural sacrilege,' he said. The state is currently governed by the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), a regional party that Chief Minister Tamang leads as its president. The SKM is part of the National Democratic Alliance government at the centre, led by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Siblac had opposed the ascent publicly as early as April, with a letter sent to the state's Governor O. P. Mathur, requesting him to call off the expedition. The governor of an Indian state is appointed by the Indian president on the advice of the prime minister and serves as its constitutional head, taking decisions based on the advice of the chief minister and council of ministers. Said Rai: 'A widespread perception is emerging that India is steering towards a uniform national identity, and a state with its distinct personality like Sikkim comes in the way. If Sikkim does not make its voice heard now, it risks losing its unique identity to India's broader and increasingly homogenised national narrative.' - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Sikkim locals fume as India-Nepal climbers ‘defile' sacred Kangchenjunga, world's third-highest peak
Members of the joint India-Nepal mountaineering expedition that successfully summited Kangchenjunga in May. PHOTO: ADGPI/X - It was in May 1955 that a British mountaineering team successfully climbed Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain at 8,586m, for the first time. But members of this expedition did not step onto the peak of the mountain on the border of Nepal and India. They instead stopped about 1.5m short of the summit, in deference to the wishes of locals in the region, who venerate this Himalayan mountain and did not want the climbers to sully its sacred peak by stepping onto it. More than 70 years later, locals in the small Indian state of Sikkim, which lies in the heart of the Himalayas between Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, are fuming over a mountaineering team having done just that. A team comprising representatives from the Indian and Nepalese armies scaled Kangchenjunga's peak in two waves on May 19 and 20, as part of the Indian government's Har Shikhar Tiranga (Hindi for 'A Tricolour Atop Every Peak') initiative aimed at hoisting the Indian national flag on the highest point in all 28 Indian states. The expedition, which flagged off on March 26, was organised by the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (Nimas), which functions under India's Ministry of Defence and is based in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. As the Indian side of the mountain remains closed to climbers, the team approached it from Nepal. Nevertheless, the ascent to the top of Kangchenjunga has angered locals in Sikkim, particularly members of the Bhutia and Lepcha communities, most of whom are Buddhists and consider the mountain as a guardian deity who has watched over them and their land for generations. 'They have defiled the sanctity of our Kangchenjunga,' said Mr Tseten Tashi Bhutia, the convenor of Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (Siblac) – an organisation that represents the rights and interests of these two communities – and a former minister with a previous state government in Sikkim. The controversy has ignited concerns that the centuries-old religious and cultural traditions of indigenous Buddhist communities in Sikkim, India's second-smallest state with a population of around 632,000, were disregarded to generate patriotic fervour. It also highlighted the power dynamics between the central government, which organised the climb, and the state government, which expressly prohibits any climb atop Kangchenjunga . A view of Kangchenjunga, one of the five highest peaks in the world, taken from Sandakphu, the highest point in India's West Bengal. PHOTO: ST FILE Sikkim has maintained a formal climbing ban atop Kangchenjunga since 2001, one that followed another controversy in 2000 when the state government allowed an Austrian team to attempt the near-vertical trek up the peak in exchange for US$20,000. The team failed to make it to the summit. 'Whatever has happened, has happened. Now damage control has to be done,' Mr Bhutia told The Straits Times, stressing the need for a 'purification ritual' to placate their guardian deity. He also called for an apology from the climbers as well as the central government that organised the climb and the state government that failed to stop it. 'This type of blunder should also not be repeated in the future,' he added. Neither the climbers nor the Indian government has issued any statement following the controversy. ST approached Nimas for a comment but did not receive a response. On June 12, Siblac issued a statement saying that the recent climb had 'deeply hurt the religious and cultural sentiments' of the Bhutias and Lepchas, and formally called for an apology. The Lepchas believe they are descendants of ancestors who were created out of the snow of the holy Kangchenjunga. Locals in the state also celebrate their unique relationship with the mountain during Pang Lhabsol, an annual festival that commemorates the consecration of Kangchenjunga as the guardian deity of Sikkim. Siblac will organise a Buddhist purification ritual on June 15 at the Kabi Lungchok sacred grove in North Sikkim to seek the deity's forgiveness and 'restore the spiritual harmony and sanctity of our land'. It was at this historic forest site that the Blood Brotherhood Treaty was signed between the Lepchas and Bhutias in the 13th century, marking the beginning of Sikkim's unified rule. Kangchenjunga was invoked as a witness to the signing of this key treaty. Locals fear angering their guardian deity could cause natural disasters, something the state has often been afflicted with. On June 1, a landslide hit the site of an army camp in Sikkim following days of heavy rains, killing at least six individuals. Anger following the ascent has been widespread in Sikkim. A video of Sikkimese children pleading with everyone not to climb their revered mountain has been circulating online and even Sikkim's Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who heads the state government, expressed his concern. He wrote to India's Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah on May 24 describing the recent ascent as 'a violation of both the prevailing legal provisions and the deeply held religious beliefs of the people of Sikkim'. Sikkim has maintained a formal climbing ban atop not just Kangchenjunga but also eight other sacred peaks since 2001. However, ascents are made from time to time from the Nepalese side of Kangchenjunga. But Mr Bhutia said the expedition team, irrespective of their approach path, had violated the sacred peak. 'They have blown the law (preventing any ascent on Kangchenjunga) to smithereens,' he said. Anger following the ascent has been widespread in Sikkim. PHOTO: ADGPI/X In his letter, Mr Tamang also urged the Indian government to convince Nepal to ensure that no further expeditions are permitted on Kangchenjunga. The demand for such a climbing restriction is not unique. China, for instance, prevents any climbing activity on Mount Kailash in Tibet, given its deep religious significance for followers of not just Buddhism, but also Hinduism, Jainism and Bon, an indigenous religion practised in Tibet. Even Nepal, which has otherwise embraced mountain tourism enthusiastically, bans climbing on Machhapuchhare, an iconic 6,993m mountain whose name translates to 'fishtail' and which is revered by local Gurung people. Mr Jiwan Rai, a political commentator based in Sikkim's capital Gangtok, said it is important to view Kangchenjunga similarly through a 'time-honoured Sikkimese lens', one that does not consider the mountain as a 'trophy for adventurers' but a symbol of cultural heritage and 'the pinnacle of religious identity' for a significant section of the state's people. 'This centuries-old indigenous world view now stands desecrated for the sake of some thrill to be felt by army personnel. Isn't that a massive cultural cost?' Mr Rai told ST. Furthermore, the recent ascent of Kangchenjunga is being seen as an affront to not just Sikkimese cultural and religious values, but also their political rights. Mr Rai added that the Sikkim state government had failed to uphold its rights by not preventing the Indian government-led climb despite its official ban on any ascent atop Kangchenjunga. 'This lapse reveals the current government's inability to withstand pressure from the centre. The only way to disprove this perception is by firmly demanding recompense for the violation of law and redress for the cultural sacrilege,' he said. The state is currently governed by the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), a regional party that Chief Minister Tamang leads as its president. The SKM is part of the National Democratic Alliance government at the centre, led by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Siblac had opposed the ascent publicly as early as April, with a letter sent to the state's Governor O.P. Mathur, requesting him to call off the expedition. The governor of an Indian state is appointed by the Indian president on the advice of the prime minister and serves as its constitutional head, taking decisions based on the advice of the chief minister and council of ministers. Said Mr Rai: 'A widespread perception is emerging that India is steering towards a uniform national identity, and a state with its distinct personality like Sikkim comes in the way. If Sikkim does not make its voice heard now, it risks losing its unique identity to India's broader and increasingly homogenised national narrative.' Debarshi Dasgupta is The Straits Times' India correspondent covering the country and other parts of South Asia. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Print
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee appeals to Nepal to respect sanctity of Mt Kanchenjunga
According to SIBLAC, Mt Kanchenjunga is not merely a geographical landmark but a sacred entity, revered as a guardian deity by the Sikkimese people. In two separate letters addressed to Nepal's tourism minister and the NMA president, SIBLAC urged the authorities to reconsider their decision to allow a joint mountaineering expedition involving climbers from India and Nepal, which is scheduled to begin from Nepal on June 18 under the aegis of India's National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS). Gangtok, Jun 14 (PTI) The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) on Saturday appealed to the Nepal government and the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) to immediately halt a planned expedition to Mt Kanchenjunga, citing the mountain's deep spiritual and cultural significance to the indigenous communities of Sikkim. The organisation noted that the mountain is central to the state's religious and cultural heritage, and is associated with annual prayers and ceremonies deeply rooted in local traditions. The letters further reference the 2001 notification by the Government of Sikkim, which banned mountaineering activities on the mountain out of respect for local beliefs. They also invoked provisions of Article 371F and Sikkim's special status within the Indian Constitution, emphasising the protection of indigenous customs and religious sentiments. SIBLAC warned that any expedition involving summiting Kanchenjunga, particularly from Nepal, could be perceived as a serious cultural violation, and called for the mountain to be treated with spiritual reverence rather than as a site for adventure tourism. The committee requested both governments to act with sensitivity and uphold the sacred status of the mountain. The appeal concluded with a request to halt the planned ascent and preserve the spiritual and environmental sanctity of the region, while respecting the sentiments of the Sikkimese people. SIBLAC had earlier urged the Sikkim government to enforce the standing prohibition on climbing Mt Kanchenjunga, citing the sacred status of the mountain and the legal protections already in place. It had condemned the summit attempt by a group of mountaineers in May. PTI COR ACD This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indian Politician Wants to Ban Climbing on Sacred Kangchenjunga
Authorities in Sikkim, India, are demanding that Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, be banned to climbers out of respect for local deities. When British pioneers Joe Brown and George Band climbed 8,586m Kangchenjunga for the first time 70 years ago, they stopped some meters short of the highest point out of respect for the religious beliefs of the local communities in Sikkim. For them, the protective deity Dzoe-Nga, also worshipped as Pho-lha, lives on its white slopes. For years, subsequent expeditions followed that tradition, but this sign of respect was eventually abandoned. Nowadays, climbers focus instead on ensuring that they reach the true summit of Kangchenjunga, which is easy to mistake for other points on its jagged ridge. Kangchenjunga lies in the northeastern corner of Nepal on the border with Sikkim (India) and is also very close to Tibet. The peak has four main climbing routes. Three are in Nepal, and only the eastern one goes up from Sikkim. The Sikkim route has only been climbed three times. The most straightforward route, up the Southwest Face in Nepal, was the chosen line for several early attempts, and the one where the expedition led by Charles Evans succeeded for the first time in 1955. For decades, there were attempts and summits from the north side of the mountain, also in Nepalese territory, but the Southwest Face soon became the normal route and the one offered to commercial teams. Last week, the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang, asked India's Home Minister, Amit Shah, to ensure that the footprints of climbers no longer deface the slopes of Kangchenjunga. Climbing Kangchenjunga from the Sikkim route has not been an option since 2000, when all ascents from Sikkim were officially banned. This is the first time that Sikkim authorities raised their voices about the matter since then. The problem is, Tamang wants the ban to extend to the entire mountain, including the routes in Nepal, not just from Sikkim. While the measure is unlikely to succeed, it does highlight the sensitivities around the mountain. "Scaling this sacred peak is not only a matter of serious concern but also a violation of both the prevailing legal provisions and the deeply held religious beliefs of the people of Sikkim,' Tamang said. He bases his demands on the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, which prohibits expeditions to sacred sites, as well as Sikkim Government Notification No. 70/HOME/2001, which reaffirmed the state's limited ban on summiting Kangchenjunga, reported. Ironically, the call for a ban was prompted by a climb launched by the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) of Arunachal Pradesh. On that Indian expedition, five members summited via the normal route in Nepal on May 18, together with their Nepalese guides. Other Indian climbers were also on the mountain, including those with a joint Nepali-Indian army expedition. This year, about 30 climbers summited Kangchenjunga despite unstable weather. Others had to retreat due to harsh conditions. There were also some rescues, and one climber died while attempting to reach the top. Nepal's Department of Tourism has no restrictions on the number of climbers on any mountain. In the case of Kangchenjunga, 78 permits were granted to foreigners this season. All climbers were supported by local guides and usually took advantage of brief periods of calm. Kangchenjunga has become increasingly popular among commercial high-altitude climbers. Virtually all expeditions take the normal, Southwest Face route from Nepal. India cannot legislate on the part of the mountain beyond its borders, and it is unlikely that Nepal will do so. Nepal also has sacred peaks banned to expeditions. The best known is Machhapuchhre (6,993m) in the Annapurna region, considered sacred for the Gurung people and never climbed, as far as we know. Sherpas revere mountains, and while they agree to climb them, they always perform puja (offering) ceremonies to ask permission for passage from the mountain gods. Similar cases of sacred mountains in nearby countries forbidden for climbers include Tibet's striking Mt. Kailash and Gangkhar Puensum in Bhutan. At 7,570m, the latter is the highest unclimbed peak in the world, and it should continue to remain so for many years. According to some sources, the silhouette of Kangchenjunga's summit points resemble the shape of a sleeping Buddha, especially when seen from the southwest. In his letter, Chief Minister Tamang recalled that the name of the mountain means the Five Treasures of the High Snow. It refers to five hidden virtues that will only be revealed to devotees if the world is in serious danger. In his extensive report about the Kangchenjunga summit area for Rodolphe Popier ends up with the following words: The magnetic attraction of Kangchenjunga will keep attracting mountain lovers from all over the world, maybe for something more than climbing and/or peak-bagging? As Doug Scott recalled it in his last book, [Kangchenjunga] is the 8,000m summit with the greatest religious significance.
