Indian mountaineers create history, successfully scale Mt Brammah-I in Kishtwar

Kishtwar/Jammu, Jul 20 (PTI) A group of Indian mountaineers created history by scaling Mt Brammah-I, standing at a formidable 6,416 metres, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, an official said on Thursday.

The challenging peak, known for its technical difficulty, has been a long-standing aspiration in the community since it was first scaled by British mountaineer Chris Bonnington about five decades ago.

Brammah-I is a mountain massif in the Himalayas, east of Kishtwar town and near the border with Himachal Pradesh. It comprises four peaks — Brammah-I, Flat Top, Brammah-II and Arjuna — from west to east. Brammah-II is the highest of the group.

The official said the nine-member team from West Bengal-based Sonarpur Aarohi Club, including skilled and eminent mountaineers, successfully scaled Mt Brammah-I on Tuesday.

“This remarkable achievement marks the first Indian team to conquer the summit, making history in the world of mountaineering,” the official said, adding that the route followed to conquer the summit was a new discovery as well.

After meticulous planning and cooperation from the Kishtwar district administration, various government bodies and the Army, the expedition commenced on July 16. However, adverse weather conditions, including whiteout and heavy snowfall, forced the team to abandon their initial summit attempt, the official said.

During this, a Sherpa member of the group fell approximately 70 metres. However, he survived with bruises, cuts, shock and snow blindness while searching for the summit route, the official added.

The team made the courageous decision to wait for his recovery and launch another attempt to scale the summit within 30 hours.

The team set out once again on July 17 midnight and, at approximately 10.30 am on July 18, it achieved the goal — successfully summiting Mt Brammah-I.

The official said the team recorded the summit height at 6,426 metres, which differed slightly from the topo map’s mentioned elevation of 6416 metres, based on four device readings.

Nine climbing members and five Sherpas accomplished the summit, while three members coordinated the activities from the base camp, the official said.

Deputy Commissioner (Kishtwar) Devansh Yadav congratulated the team for the accomplishment and expressed enthusiasm about the development boosting tourist potential and tourism in the hilly district.

“This achievement will open up new avenues for future adventure tourism in the Kishtwar Himalayas,” Yadav said, encouraging adventure seekers and mountaineers to explore the uncharted heights of the region.

He also assured a conducive environment and necessary support for their endeavours.

After returning to their base camp at 8.30 pm on July 19, the team — led by renowned mountaineers Rudra Prasad Halder and Satyarup Siddhanta — expressed gratitude to the district administration for its support, both direct and indirect, throughout the expedition.

They also thanked the Army’s 17 Rashtriya Rifles, police, the forest department, the Kishtwar Development Authority and the local team.