The attempt, when successful, will mark a national record as eight members from the all-civilian team of Giripremi mountaineering group would have set foot on Everest.
The first-ever expedition to the Everest with an all-Punekar team will not be just another attempt to climb the world’s highest mountain. The attempt, when successful, will mark a national record as eight members from the all-civilian team of Giripremi mountaineering group would have set foot on Everest.
The existing record for a collective assault on Everest is held by an Indian Navy expedition led by Capt MS Kohli (retd) when, in 1965, nine members of the expedition summited the third pole to create a world record.
“So far no civilian group from India has reached Everest peak. We want to become the first to achieve the target,” the founding member of Giripremi, Milind Kirtane, told DNA. Giripremi is a Pune-based mountaineering club, which has been scaling various mountain ranges across the world over the past 28 years.
The club is amongst the few non-profit organisations in the country to undertake mountaineering activities.
Maharashtra got its first Everestor when Punekar Surendra Chavan successfully scaled the peak in 1998. Chavan is now mentor to Giripremi’s 2012 team.
Kirtane said that apart from the eight climbing members, the expedition will include a 10-man support staff. “They need to be as fit as the climbers, as they would need to step in during a crisis,” Kirtane said.
He emphasised that the expedition is entirely an all-Pune effort and, therefore, special. “It will be an achievement which will make Punekars proud,” Kirtane said.
Apart from vigorous physical and mental conditioning, Giripremi is currently engaged in raising Rs3 crore, the estimated cost of the expedition.
Everest team to attempt record “This is a huge amount for us and, therefore, we are looking for support from corporate houses, so that we can concentrate on our practice and achieve our goals,” Kirtane said.
One of the climbing members, Bhushan Harshe said, “We have a good team of climbers, along with experts to guide us. All members are certified climbers. Right now, we are working to improve our physical and mental abilities,” he said.
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