Defence Secretary Flags-in Mount Everest & Kilimanjaro Expeditions, Showcases India’s Mountaineering Spirit

New Delhi- Defence Secretary  Rajesh Kumar Singh formally flagged in the mountaineering expeditions to Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro during a special ceremony held at South Block, New Delhi, on July 17, 2025. The expedition to Mount Everest was undertaken to commemorate 60 glorious years of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, and was jointly organised with the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling, West Bengal, and Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIM&WS), Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. Simultaneously, a separate expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, was carried out by a team from HMI, which notably included Divyangjan mountaineer  Uday Kumar, who has a 91% above-knee amputation.

During his address, the Defence Secretary applauded the courage, resilience, and unmatched determination displayed by the expedition teams, stating that these missions were not merely about conquering formidable summits but symbolised India’s leadership in the realm of adventure sports and mountaineering excellence. He emphasized that the successful ascent of Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro is a remarkable achievement that will inspire youth across India and the world to pursue adventure with purpose and confidence.

He also highlighted the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has consistently stressed the importance of youth empowerment, Atmanirbharta (self-reliance), and adventure as tools to build a stronger, fearless India. The Defence Secretary described the four premier mountaineering institutes under the Ministry of Defence – HMI, NIM, JIM&WS, and the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) – as pillars of this vision, pushing boundaries and setting new benchmarks.

The Mount Everest expedition, led by NIM Principal Col Anshuman Bhadauria, included team members Col Hem Chandra Singh (Deputy Leader),  Rakesh Singh Rana, Sub Bahadur Pahan, Hav Rajendra Mukhiya, Nk Thupstan Tsewang, and  Pasang Tenzing Sherpa. The team successfully ascended the world’s highest peak via the Khumbu Valley route and reached the summit on May 23, 2025, offering instructors an invaluable firsthand experience to inspire and educate future generations.

The Mount Kilimanjaro expedition was led by HMI Principal Gp Capt Jai Kishan and included Captain Shruti, Sub Mahendra Kumar Yadav, Pawel Sharma, and Miss Sulaxchana Tamang. On August 8, 2024, the team made history by unfurling the largest national flag atop Mount Kilimanjaro. They followed it up by displaying the Tricolour underwater at a depth of 35 feet in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and by executing the first-ever tandem skydive by a Divyangjan team on the African continent. This groundbreaking mission marked achievements across land, water, and air, reaffirming that no frontier is beyond reach when driven by courage and national pride.