Indian Navy’s Mt. Everest Team sets many new records: From the deep blue seas to the highest peaks Indian naval team does it all…

Summits! Indian Navy’s Mt. Everest Team sets many new records: From the deep blue seas to the highest peaks Indian naval team does it all…

In a briefing held today at the INS India, New Delhi, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Madhvendra Singh, announced the successful scaling of Mt. Everest via the North face, by the Indian Navy’s Mountaineering Team. This announcement came after the second group of the Everest team, comprising Lieutenant Commander Abhishek Kankan and Expedition Leader, Commander Satyabrata Dam succeeded in summitting Mt. Everest on May 19, 2004 at 0805 hours. 

Just a day earlier, on May 18, 2004, the first group of the Indian Navy’s team, comprising of Surgeon Lieutenant Viking Bhanoo, a Navy doctor, and Leading Medical Assistants’ Rakesh Kumar and Vikas Kumar had tasted success when they too summitted Mt. Everest from the North face, using the North-East ridge to the top of the mountain.

Applauding the team on its success, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Madhvendra Singh said, 

“Having endured the numbing cold, blinding blizzards and life threatening situations, the summiting of Everest is a tribute to the tenacity, resilience and fighting spirit of the team in achieving their objective  - traits that are highly cherished in the Navy. It also illustrates the tremendous effort put in by those who worked behind the scenes, planning the expedition, providing logistical sustenance, and supporting the climbers all the way to their final ascent.”  He further added, “The spectacular success of this expedition epitomizes the spirit of adventure in the Navy, and marks the revival of mountaineering in the service”.

With this feat, the Indian Navy, in its maiden expedition to Mt. Everest, not only became the First from the Indian Armed Forces to have succeeded in scaling via the North face, but in the process also became the only ‘ All Navy ’ team to have done this from the North face, technically considered a far more challenging and difficult route.

“This success is the result of dedicated work by our mountaineers and support team at the Naval Headquarters. These tough youngsters have braved all sorts of difficulties in the process of building up their skills, endurance and experience base over the past two years,” said Commodore Amarjit Bajwa, Principal Director, Adventure and Sport, Indian Navy. “They have done the Navy proud.” he added.

Details of the team members below.

A 13-member India Navy expedition led by Commander Satyabrata Dam will attempt Mt Everest in Spring of 2004. Satyabrata Dam and his team has summited Mt Kamet as preparation for this expedition. India expeditions have had great success on in the last several years. The India Navy expedition will attempt Mt Everest from the North side.

The Indian Navy team is believed to be the first all navy personnel team in the world that would attempt Everest. Though a Royal Navy Team had climbed Everest in spring 2003 from the North, it consisted only of Royal Marine personnels (with army ranks) and the only some members were Navy which included the Base Camp Medical Officer of the rank of Lt Commander. The Indian Navy team would also attempt to put the first submariner in the world on top of Everest. 

Our Advance team plans to reach the BC on 31st March.  The following are the expedition member details:

	1. Satyabrata Dam (Leader): 38 yrs, has been climbing for 28 yrs and has climbed 29 Himalayan peaks till date. Also a criminologist and a crime fiction writer.
	2. Amit Pande (Deputy Leader): 30 yrs, has climbed many high peaks in Himalaya over the last 8 years. A keen ornithologist.
	3. Abhishek Kankan: 33 yrs, has been climbing over the last 2 yrs. A marine commando.
	4. P Anand: 35 yrs, expedition doctor, highly experienced in high altitude medicine.
	5. Viking Bhanoo: 28 yrs, has climbed two high peaks over the last two years. A doctor by profession.
	6. KS Balaji: 32 yrs, has been to many high peaks in Himalaya. A brilliant athlete and basketball player.
	7. Lijo S. Chacko: 31 yrs, a keen sportsman and a mountaineer. Base camp manager.
	8. Raj Kumar: 33 yrs, climbed several major Himalayan peaks over the last 2 yrs.
	9. Satish S. Kanna: 30 yrs, a keen mountaineer and sportsman.
	10. Rakesh Kumar: 31 yrs, a keen mountaineer and has climbed high on Himalaya over the last 1 yr.
	11. AK Singh: 24 yrs.
	12. Vikas Kumar: 24 yrs, an outstanding sportsman.
	13. Nitin Singh: 23 yrs. A physically strong climber.

SS Sandhu will also be at base camp.

Source: Satyabrata Dam Expedition Leader

In addition some of the climbers will be climbing with Sherpas climbers and supplementary oxygen.

 

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