By creating history, two Assamese youth namely Bhaskar Baruah and Jayanta Nath today climbed the third highest mountain peak in the globe Mt. Kanchenjunga (8,586 meter) in the wee hours of 7;15 a. m. and unfurled Indian Tricolor, Assam Mountaineering Association’s Expedition Flag and Assamese Fulam Gamosa at the top of this magnificent mountain.
This is for the first time from the entire northeast India that an organization have organized and successfully scaled the toughest peak in the world Mt. Kanchenjunga with the financial support of a state government. Assam’s Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma is the Chef-de-Mission of this Mega Expedition and the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare, Government of Assam is the sponsoring authority of the same. Earlier in an attempt to scale the peak on 18th May; 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 had compelled to abandon their climbing at the last stage.
The AMA Mount Kanchenjunga Expedition 2023 team left Guwahati on 11th April 2023 for their final venture. At Guwahati railway station the team had bid farewell by large nos. of gathering comprising members and well-wishers of Assam Mountaineering Association, eminent personalities and journalists. Hon,ble President of India Droupadi Murmu had flagged-off this expedition at State Guest House, Koinadhara here on 7th April 2023 by handing over ice-axe baton fitted with Indian Tricolor and Expedition Flag to the expedition leader in presence of Hon’ble Governor of Assam Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma along with senior officials of Assam Government, President’s Secretariat and office bearers of AMA Mount Kanchenjunga Expedition 2023 Organising Committee among others.
After reaching New Jalpaiguri, the team enters Nepal and stayed at Kakarvita for overnight. From there the team reached Taplejung and Hellok by vehicle with all necessary items for the expedition. On the next phase, they start 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 acclimatization, on 13th May 2023, the team established Camp-IV (Summit Camp) at an elevation of 7,500 meters. From 14th May, they started route opening procedure with the help of a group of well-experienced Sherpa from Nepal. Unfortunately, due to sudden sickness, Joint Deputy Leader Upen Chakraborty compelled to return from the base camp.
In the evening of 24th May at around 6;30 p.m., Bhaskar Baruah and Jayanta Nath left the summit camp for the main summit. After a very hard and risky nightlong climbing, they keep their feet on the summit at 7;16 a.m. of today (25th May 2023) and brought laurels to the state.
It may please be noted that after the success of its first mega expedition to Mount Everest in 2016, the sole adventure sports association of the state Assam Mountaineering Association had planned to attempt Mount Everest again from China side (North face) in 2020. But due to Covid outbreak and subsequent restrictions imposed by Chinese Government, they had compelled to abandon the idea and shifted it to Mount Kanchenjunga where success rate is one third and death rate is more than double in comparison to Mount Everest. For preparation of this expedition, the association had conducted several Pre Kanchenjunga Expeditions and conditioning camps in different parts of the Himalayas starting from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh under the sponsorship of Government of Assam through the Department of Sports & Youth Welfare.
The seven member main expedition team was lead by one of the most experienced mountaineer 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 Dy. 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.