KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 11

A team of India's border security force successfully scaled Mt Manaslu this season paying reverence to the "Mountain of the Spirit", according to Expedition Organiser.

Dawa Steven Sherpa, Expedition Director at Asian Trekking, said that the team led by BSF's deputy commander Loveraj Singh Dharmshaktu stood atop the 8163-metre peak.

The expedition was flagged-off by Nitin Agrawal, IPS, Director General of BSF from BSF Headquarters in New Delhi on 12 September 2023.

According to a statement, the aim of the expedition was "To Pay reverence to the "Mountain of the Spirit" by hoisting tri-colour and BSF flag on the Mt. Manaslu with "Clean Himalaya - Save Glacier and Ham Fit to India Fit" campaign.

"At least 18 members consisting of 15 climbers and 3 supports staff including one doctor led by Loveraj Singh Dharmshaktu, Deputy Commandant (Padma Shree) reached Kathmandu on 14 September 2023 and further to Manaslu Base camp on 22 September 2023 via Tilche-Bhimthang-Samdu-Samagaon and Larke Pass-16750 ft route."

After the traditional puja, the team was divided into two groups for further climbing and the summit push. Keeping in mind the weather conditions and summit window, the team leader decided to attempt a summit push without rotation. "On 26 September 2023, the first group led by the expedition leader started climbing from Manaslu base camp, and after crossing camp-1, Camp-2, Camp-3, and Camp-4, all eight members of the group with expedition Sherpa successfully reached the top of Mt Manaslu on 29 September 2023 at about 09:30 hrs," said the team leader.

The summiteers include Loveraj Singh Dharmshaktu, expedition leader, Praveen Kumar, Pritam Chand, Suresh Chhetri, Vikash Singh Rawat, Anwer Hussain, and Ms Hardeep Kaur & Munmun Ghosh (both are first CAPFs women who have scaled the peak). Loveraj Singh is the first Indian who has scaled Mt Everest seven times.

"Simultaneously, a second group consisting of 07 members led by Kamlesh Kumar started climbing from Manaslu Base camp on 27 September 2023 and after crossing Camp-1,2,3 and summit camp, all members along with Sherpa reached the top of Mount Manaslu on 30 September 2023 at about 09:40 hrs," he added. The summiteers include Kamlesh Kumar, Kedar Singh, Manoj Dahal, Darshan Tamang, Aasif Jaan, Norbo Dorjey, and Lakshdeep.

During the expedition, team members also collected approximately 400 kgs of garbage from Base camp and higher camps with the help of Sherpa. After the successful ascent, expedition doctor Rohit Vermi, Senior Medical Officer, and team members organized a medical camp at Samagaon and donated the medicines to the medical representatives of Nepal government available there, the statement added.