A team of the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) successfully scaled an unclimbed 20,942 feet high peak in the Gorichen range of Arunachal Pradesh Himalayas on Tawang-West Kameng region, an official statement said on Wednesday, adding that this marks the first ascent of this mountain peak.
The peak was one of the most technically challenging and unexplored summits in the region. Overcoming challenges like sheer ice walls, treacherous crevasses, and a two-kilometer-long glacier, the team immortalised the momentous feat by naming the peak “Tsangyang Gyatso Peak” in honour of His Holiness the 6th Dalai Lama Rigzen Tsangyang Gyatso.
Born to an indigenous Monpa family of Ugyenling village, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh in 1683, His Holiness Rigzen Tsangyang Gyatso was recognized and enthroned in the Potala palace of Tibet as the 6th Dalai Lama.
By naming this peak after him, the NIMAS aims to pay tribute to his timeless wisdom and his profound contributions to the Monpa community and beyond.
Indian Army’s Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal, the Director of NIMAS said, “This peak, with its unforgiving terrain and extreme conditions, symbolizes the resilience, wisdom, and spirit of exploration that His Holiness Tsangyang Gyatso embodied.”
According to Jamwal, the expedition to conquer the peak was one of the toughest ever undertaken by the NIMAS team, as the route was full of danger and unpredictable weather conditions.
Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu also congratulated the NIMAS for the unprecedented success in scaling the peak and expressed his support for naming the peak after the 6th Dalai Lama.
The NIMAS, which operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence, and Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, serves as the President of the institute, which has been at the forefront of adventure and mountaineering in India.
The institute has also informed the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) about the ascent and the decision to name the peak.
The necessary formalities for naming the peak are being completed to ensure that “Tsangyang Gyatso Peak” is recognized on the official map.
This historic climb not only celebrates Arunachal Pradesh’s rich cultural heritage but also positions the region as a key destination for mountaineering and adventure sports, attracting explorers and adventure enthusiasts from around the globe.