BCS jubilee expedition achieves historic summit of Mt UT Kangri
Shimla: The Bishop Cotton School, a 21st-century Indian boarding school with British heritage and a global outlook, has reason to celebrate. Its 11-member Jubilee Expedition team successfully reached Mt UT Kangri, Ladakh, at 20,031 feet on August 5.
This is the first time in 25 years of BCS mountaineering expedition history that all team members summited together safely. BCS mountaineering expedition leader, Amod Talwalkar, said: “It’s unbelievable as the entire team summitted in the silver jubilee year of BCS mountaineering history.”
Nine days ago, the nine brave Cottonians (Class XII boys) with two leaders—Amod Talwalkar and Viresh Kumar—set off after the 165th Founder’s Day celebrations. They departed from Leh, Ladakh, with their mountain leader. Mt UT Kangri, located in Ladakh, is a challenging climb. Before their final attempt, the Cottonians spent a week acclimatising to the high altitude of Ladakh, visiting temples and mountain ranges.
The UT Ladakh Kangri peak, located in the upper valley of Rumtse village, is a prominent snow-covered peak that was recently explored and successfully climbed by local mountaineers from the Ladakh Mountain Guides Association in 2019. This peak is ideal for novice mountaineers aiming for a 6,000-metre summit, offering a moderate climb with suitable terrain for technical skill practice.
BCS Director Simon Weale said: “BCS prides itself on challenging young people to be the best version of themselves. This is an exceptional achievement by the 2024 team, which will bond them together for a lifetime. They have all worked hard to make the trip a success. There are over 600 million people in India under the age of 20, but only a handful who have reached for the stars and left their footprints on this summit. Congratulations to them all.”
Each year, top climbers at BCS’s Pargiyal Mountaineering Club attempt a 6,000 metre or higher summit. The first expedition took place in 1999, marking another BCS silver jubilee this year. All participants are required to score an A grade in the basic mountaineering course run in Manali, which involves rigorous training and mastering mountaineering techniques.
