The Hindu : New Delhi News : Mission to Everest flagged off

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Thursday, Aug 13, 2009
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Mission to Everest flagged off

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

ITBP team has 12 climbers and eight skiers

— Photo: Sandeep Saxena

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram flagging off the ITBP expedition to Mount Everest in New Delhi on Wednesday. Minister of State Ajay Makan and ITBP D-G Vikram Srivastava are also seen.

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram flagged off the first Indian mountaineering and skiing expedition to Mount Everest from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police headquarters here on Wednesday. The 28-member expedition is led by Deputy Inspector-General Harbhajan Singh, who is a renowned mountaineer.

“This attempt of the ITBP will be an inspiration for all Indians,” said the Home Minister.

ITBP Director-General Vikram Srivastava said: “This team has experienced mountaineers and skiers and it will certainly accomplish its mission of skiing down from the peak.”

This Everest expedition being launched in August-October and skiing from the world’s tallest peak will be a world record in itself.

The team has three Everesters in Inspector Hira Ram, Constable Pradeep and Pasang T. Sherpa and two international-level skiers. It has 12 climbers and eight skiers. The team has a woman member in Inspector Bhanita Timugapi, who so far has taken part in 16 expeditions and scaled 13 peaks.

The ITBP after its constitution in 1962 started mountaineering in 1964 when Captain M. S. Kohli led the first expedition to Nanda Devi and Trishuli. The ITBP has scaled more than 161 national and international peaks so far.

World-class equipment and clothing has been procured by the ITBP for this expedition. Two special helmet-mounted video cameras are planned to be used to record the skiing-down event. Professional high-altitude photographers are being hired to record the event.

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