HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, May 26: Two Assamese youths – Bhaskar Baruah and Jayanta Nath climbed the third highest mountain peak in the globe Mt Kanchenjunga (8,586 meter) in the wee hours of 7:15 am on Thursday and unfurled the Indian Tricolor, Assam Mountaineering Association’s expedition flag and Assamese phulam gamosa at the top of the magnificent mountain thereby creating history.
For the first time, an organisation from north-east India organised the expedition and successfully scaled the toughest peak in the world, Mt Kanchenjunga with the financial support of the state government.
It is to be mentioned here that Assam’s chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was the chef-de-mission of the mega expedition and the department of Sports and Youth Welfare, government of Assam was the sponsoring authority of the same.
Earlier, in an attempt to scale the peak on May 18, the team members – Bhaskar Baruah, Jayanta Nath, Kaushik Das and Sekhar Bordoloi reached up to a height of 8,416 meter which is just 170 meter below the summit. But due to some technical issues, they were compelled to abandon their climbing at the last stage.
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The AMA Mount Kanchenjunga Expedition 2023 team left Guwahati on April 11, 2023 for their final venture. At Guwahati railway station, the team bid farewell to the other members and well-wishers of Assam Mountaineering Association, eminent personalities and journalists. The President of India, Droupadi Murmu flagged-off the expedition at State Guest House, Koinadhora in Guwahati on April 7, 2023 by handing over ice-axe baton fitted with Indian Tricolor and expedition flag to the expedition leader in presence of Governor of Assam, Gulab Chand Kataria and chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma along with senior officials of Assam government, the President’s secretariat and office bearers of AMA Mount Kanchenjunga Expedition 2023 organising committee among others.
After reaching New Jalpaiguri, the team entered Nepal and stayed at Kakarvitta overnight. From there, the team reached Taplejung and Hellok by vehicle with all necessary items for the expedition. In the next phase, they started trekking and reached Kanchenjunga base camp (5,200 meter) on April 20. After establishment of another three camps in between base camp and summit camp and after proper acclimatisation, on May 13, 2023, the team established camp-IV (summit camp) at an elevation of 7,500 meters. From May 14, they started route opening procedures with the help of a group of well-experienced Sherpa from Nepal. Unfortunately, due to sudden sickness, joint deputy leader Upen Chakraborty was compelled to return from the base camp.
In the evening of May 24, at around 6:30 pm, Bhaskar Baruah and Jayanta Nath left the summit camp for the main summit. After a very hard and risky nightlong climb, they reached the summit at 7:16 am on Thursday and brought laurels to the state.
The seven member main expedition team was led by one of the most experienced mountaineers from the state Manash Barooah, who was also the leader of 2015 and 2016’s Everest Expeditions from Assam. Another seasoned mountaineer and associate professor of Tezpur Medical College & Hospital Dr Jagadish Basumatary bears the responsibility of deputy leader cum medical officer in the team. They are assisted by Upen Chakraborty as Joint Deputy Leader. Other climbing members are Kaushik Das, Bhaskar Baruah, Jayanta Nath and Sekhar Bordoloi, stated a press release issued by Mriganka Sarmah, in-charge general secretary of Assam Mountaineering Association.
