New Delhi. October. Known for its expertise in the field of adventure sports, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has achieved a unique milestone by summit of 200th peak in high Himalayas and created history in the field of mountain climbing. During the last quarter of September, the Team of ITBP mountaineers led by Ratan Singh Sonal, successfully climbed three peaks of Mount Kakstet group in Ladakh – 6480 Mtrs, 6489 Mtrs and 6450 Mtrs and completed the summit record of 200 peaks for the ITBP.ITBP started mountain climbing expedition with mount Trishul way back in 1970. During the past 45 years, the Force has recorded 200 Summits across difficult mountain peaks in border Himalayan states- Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
ITBP Mountaineers successfully completed the summit of the highest Peak of the World, the Mt. Everest in 1984, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2006 and 2012. So far, 24 personnel of ITBP have climbed the Mt. Everest. As a member of Joint Mountaineering Expedition, Sonam Palzor, Asstt. Commandant of ITBP was the first ITBP mountaineer to climb Mt. Everest in 1984. Under the leadership of Prem Singh, Commandant, 06 mountaineers of ITBP climbed Mt. Everest and skied down successfully during 2012. The Force has also climbed formidable peaks of Kamet, Kanchenjunga, Panchachuli, Nanda Devi, Shivling, Chaukhambha, Saser Kangri and Mount Gya etc besides many other mountains. In view of the achievements of the Force in the field of mountaineering, six mountaineers have been awarded with the Padma Shri while ten mountaineers have been awarded with Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.
ITBP mountaineering expedition teams are being given rigorous physical training and being extensively skilled on all technical aspects required to tackle difficulties while ascending through glacial fields, knife edge icy ridges, rocky spires on its way to higher altitude camps and summit.
ITBP is deployed for guarding Himalayan (Indo-china) border on Border Out Posts situated on altitudes ranging from 9,000 ft to 18,700 ft. since its raising in 1962. The Force is known for its specialty in the field of mountaineering and adventure sports.
