On 15th and 16th May 2007, twelve Indian Army personnel, accompanied by thirteen sherpas reached the Summit of Mt. Everest in two batches of six officers and men of the Indian Army each. The six officers and men of the Indian Army team who reached the Summit on 15th May are Captain D.J. Singh, Subedar M. Khandagle, Havaldar Tshering Angchok, Havaldar Balwant Singh Negi, Havaldar Amardev Bhatt and Sepoy Sachin Patil. The Indian Army personnel who scaled the world's highest peak on 16th May are: Havaldar Nandkumar Jagtap, Havaldar Ramabahadur Mall, Havaldar Mingmar Gurung, Havaldar Dayananad Dhali, Havaldar Tejpal Singh and Naik Khemchand.
The Sherpas who accompanied the Indian Army men to the summit and made the expedition's success possible are: Mr Chhiring Dorjee (Sherpa Sirdar), Mr Phhurba Chotar, Mr Karma Sherpa, Mr Pasang Gyalgen, Mr Ang Kami, Mr Jangbu Sherpa, Mr Sherap Sherpa, Mr Damai Chhiri, Mr Ngwang Passang, Mr Tashi Sherpa, Mr Dawa Gyalzen and Mr. Tshering Finjo.
These attempts at the climbing the highest mountain in the world were part of the Indian Army Everest Expedition-2007. The Expedition team led by
Lt. Col. I.S. Thapa, a Nepali-origin officer of the Indian army serving in the Maratha Light Infantry, had reached Kathmandu in end March, 2007 from where they proceeded to the Base Camp of the Northern face for acclimatization and preparations.
On behalf of the team, Mr Chhiring Dorjee (Sherpa Sirdar) had placed a statue of Lord Buddha on the Mt. Everest summit on 2nd May 2007, the day of Buddha Purnima. Mr. Dorjee made a record in climbing Mt. Everest thrice in one season and taking his tally of making to the summit to nine.
This successful expedition represents a record number of twenty five members from a single team making it to the Summit. It also continues the glorious tradition of successful Indian Army Mt. Everest expeditions in 2001, 2003 and 2005 in this century.
Indian Army regularly organizes mountaineering and other adventure activities to promote spirit of adventure and camaraderie. Indian Army has also been mounting successful mountaineering expeditions to other peaks in Nepal.
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