Kishtwar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: The Sonarpur Aarohi Club of West Bengal, made up of a team of skilled and renowned mountaineers, successfully reached the summit of Mt Brammah 1 on July 18.
This peak, known for its technical challenges, has been a long-standing goal for the mountaineering community since it was first climbed by British mountaineer Chris Bonnington about 50 years ago.
This incredible accomplishment marks the first time an Indian team has reached the summit, making history in the world of mountaineering. “After meticulous planning and cooperation from the district administration in Kishtwar and various government and military bodies, the expedition commenced on July 16. However, adverse weather conditions, including a whiteout and heavy snowfall, forced the team to abandon their initial summit attempt,” read an official statement by the Kishtwar administration.
“During this unfortunate incident, a Sherpa member fell approximately 70 meters but, fortunately, survived with bruises, cuts, shock, and snow blindness while searching for the summit route. The team made a courageous decision to wait for his recovery and launch another attempt within 30 hours, said an official.
On July 17, at midnight, the team set out once again, and at approximately 10:30 am on July 18, they achieved their goal, successfully summiting Mt Brammah 1. The team recorded the height as 6426 metres, which differed slightly from the topo map’s mentioned elevation of 6416 metres, based on four devices’ readings.
A total of nine climbing members and five Sherpas accomplished the momentous summit, while three members coordinated the activities from the base camp.
“Upon safely returning to the Base Camp on July 19 at 8:30 pm, the team expressed their gratitude to the district Administration of Kishtwar for their support, both direct and indirect, throughout the expedition.
Besides thanks, Indian Army 17RR, Police, Forest Department, KDA and the local team, consisting of Ravinder Singh Thakur, Bhanu Badyal, Rajesh Thakur and Avleen Bhutiyal including 2 local Youth from Kishtwar who recently completed the Adventure Training Course at the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports, Pahalgam who has been making a remarkable difference by accompanying the climbers and providing essential support,” read the release.
However, the team faces a setback as their initial plan to climb Brammah’s had to be called off due to challenges in retrieving climbing equipment, leading to significant financial losses that may take time to recover without adequate sponsorship.
“Nevertheless, the team remains resilient and committed to overcoming these obstacles. In the spirit of giving back to the local community, the team has brought school supplies to be distributed at Kibber Nala School for the students on July 22.
The team will also conduct a medical camp, supervised by the team doctor, during the same visit,” read the statement.
