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| September 24, 2012 | Arunachal expedition to Mount Gorichen flagged off | | Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh has been put on the adventure tourism map with the state’s Governor General (retired) JJ Singh flagging off a 26-day expedition to the 6488-meter-high Mount Gorichen, one of the highest mountains in the eastern Himalayas. This is the first expedition organized jointly
by the state’s sports and youth affairs (SYA) department and the Indian Mountaineering
Foundation (APIMF). The 13-member team, led by Dr. K Romeo Meetei, includes three
Everesters -- Anshu Jamsengpa, Tine Mina and ITBP inspector Lobsang Sherpa. Jamsengpa
and Sherpa have reached the summit of Mount Everest Summit twice. Sherpa has 12
successful expeditions under his belt. The team has mountaineers from Arunachal
Pradesh , Sikkim , West Bengal, Meghalaya, Mizoram , Assam , Jammu & Kashmir and
Indo Tibetan Border Police. Five mountaineers from Arunachal Pradesh, including
K.N. Damo, Deputy Resident Commissioner, Delhi , who is the liaison officer and
field advisor of the team because of his experience during his college days, and
Nima Lama, besides a six-member support team of Sherpas from Darjeeling . The
team will leave Bomdila on September 27, reach Jang on September 29 to proceed
to Dushinthang, Mago, Jithang and Merathang. It will reach the base camp at Chakarsam
at 5000 meters on October 3. It is scheduled to reach Camp-1 and Camp-II on October
7 and 9 and reach the summit on October 11. The flagging-in ceremony will be on
October 19th. Damo, the only one to conquer Mount Gorichen thrice and who has
five mountaineering expeditions under his belt, informed that Mount Gorichen is
one of the technically difficult peaks of the world because of its terrain, rock
face, avalanche and crevasse zones and ice wall. The mountain is second only to
Mount Kangto (7050 meters) in the world, he added. Conveying his best wishes to
the team on behalf of the state’s people, General (retired) J.J. Singh with experience
of trailing behind insurgents in this hilly state advised participants in the
expedition to maintain team spirit. “Climbing a peak is an achievement, but to
come back safe and sound is a greater achievement”, the Arunachal Front quoted
General Singh, as saying, adding what matters is team spirit but not individual
achievements. “Respect the mountains, don’t challenge the terrain and weather,
and don’t become over confident,” advised Singh, a mountaineer trained under world
renowned mountaineers, late Tenzing Norgay and late Nawang Gombu. Recalling late
Norgay’s valuable advice: “Don’t look up to the top while climbing. Look around
and enjoy the surroundings. Walk with a natural gait and don’t exhaust yourself,
he advised them to stick to basic mountaineering rules. Announcing that he would
constantly monitor the progress of the expedition, like he has done during the
Everest expeditions of Tapi Mra, Anshu Jamsenpa and Tine Mina, the governor enquired
about the medical arrangements, means of communication and equipments. Indian
Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) president Col. H.S. Chauhan, in his address, said
that Arunachal Pradesh has huge scope for adventure sports and IMF is keen to
be partner in exploring the scope which simultaneously would help tap the potentials
of the local youths. Col. Chauhan, who has traversed across the state from Tuting
to Bumla as an Army officer, advised the participants never to underestimate the
mountains, nature and the weather and take precautions. Arunachal Mountaineering
and Adventure Sports Association (AMASA) president Tsering Wange thanked the governor
for his untiring assistance and encouragement in promoting adventure sports and
mountaineering activities in the state. He informed that state’s Tourism Minister
Pema Khandu and Sports Authority of Arunachal Pradesh chairman Tapak Toku have
conveyed their best wishes to the team for a success. Secretary to Governor Ankur
Garg, special secretary (Finance) Swati Sharma, SYA director D K Dinglow, state’s
first Everester Tapi Mra and sports and youth affairs officials were also present.
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