**Summary:**
On July 17, 2025, Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh formally recognized the successful completion of mountaineering expeditions to Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro. The Mount Everest expedition commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi, and was conducted in collaboration with the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling, and the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIMWS), Pahalgam. The Mount Kilimanjaro expedition was organized by HMI and included Shri Uday Kumar, a Divyangjan member with a 91% above-knee amputation.
The Mount Everest expedition team, led by NIM Principal Col Anshuman Bhadauria, summited the peak on May 23, 2025. The team included Col Hem Chandra Singh (Deputy Leader), Shri Rakesh Singh Rana, Sub Bahadur Pahan, Hav Rajendra Mukhiya, Nk Thupstan Tsewang, and Shri Pasang Tenzing Sherpa. The objective was to provide Everest experience to instructors for future training.
The Mount Kilimanjaro expedition, led by HMI Principal Gp Capt Jai Kishan, included Captain Shruti, Sub Mahendra Kumar Yadav, Shri Pawel Sharma, and Miss Sulaxchana Tamang. On August 8, 2024, the team set a world record by displaying the largest national flag atop Mount Kilimanjaro. Following this, they displayed the national flag underwater in the Indian Ocean and completed the first tandem skydive by a Divyangjan team in Africa.
The Defence Secretary emphasized the expeditions' role in showcasing India's mountaineering excellence and leadership in adventure sports, aligning with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of youth empowerment, self-reliance, and a resilient India. The mountaineering institutes HMI, NIM, JIMWS and National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) were highlighted as key institutions in promoting this vision.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Defence: The Indian government ministry responsible for the country's defense.
Mount Everest: The world's highest peak, located in the Himalayas.
Mount Kilimanjaro: Africa's highest peak, located in Tanzania.
Nehru Institute of Mountaineering NIM, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand: Mountaineering institute located in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute HMI, Darjeeling, West Bengal: Mountaineering institute located in Darjeeling, West Bengal.
Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering Winter Sports JIMWS, Pahalgam, Jammu Kashmir: Mountaineering and winter sports institute located in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Shri Narendra Modi: The Prime Minister of India.
Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh: Defence Secretary
Ministry of Defence
Defence Secretary formally flags-in mountaineering
expeditions to Mt Everest and Mt Kilimanjaro
Posted On: 17 JUL 2025 1:21PM by PIB Delhi
Defence Secretary Shri 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, 2025. 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 Divyangjan member Shri Uday Kumar
having a 91% 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.
Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh added that Prime Minister Shri 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.
Expedition to Mount Everest
The expedition 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 Shri 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, 2025. This expedition was aimed at providing first-hand Everest experience to instructors, enabling
them to inspire and train future generations of mountaineers.
Expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro
The expedition was led by Principal, HMI, Darjeeling Gp Capt Jai Kishan. The other team members were
Captain Shruti, Sub Mahendra Kumar Yadav, Shri Pawel Sharma and Miss Sulaxchana Tamang.
On August 08, 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 Divyangjan team on the
African continent. This expedition set milestones across all the three domains land, water and air, proving that
no frontier is beyond reach.
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SR/Savvy(Release ID: 2145445)