Mumbai: After successfully scaling Mount Nun last year, Hemant Jadhav – chief office superintendent in the engineering branch – and Sandeep Mokashi – office superintendent in the electrical branch – of the Central Railway (CR) are ready toclimb Mount Everest. This is a first-of-its-kind expedition by the Indian Railways.
General manager of CR, Naresh Lalwani formally flagged off the expedition at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on Friday by presenting the duo with an ice axe bearing the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) flag. The duo will carry the hiking tool when they summit Everest.
Trio seeking funds
“After scaling the technically challenging Mount Nun peak last year, we are now determined to scale Everest (8,848.86 m). This ascent will be from the South East Ridge and we are confident of unfurling the Indian flag atop the summit,” said Jadhav who is confident about leading the expedition. However, the team needs support from the railway administration to raise funds.
According to Mokashi, the cost of the expedition will work out to around Rs80 lakh. “We have collected Rs10 lakh individually and the rest will be managed by the railway administration,” Mokashi said.
Speaking on the occasion, Lalwani said Jadhav and Mokashi are the first Indian railwaymen to scale Mount Nun. “Thisexpedition too would be a first of its kind, with the railways setting another record,” he said, adding that the expedition aims to spread awareness about climate change and global warming. According to Lalwani, the CR currently has 450 active sportspersons pursuing 40 types of games.
The Central Railway Adventure Sports Club under the Central Railway Sports Association organises campaigns at forts in Maharashtra to educate young minds about the value of trekking and forts, along with cycling camps topromote the activity. Additionally, the group has also carried out numerous rescue missions and assisted in disaster zones.
Hemant Jadhav's journey with CR
Hemant Jadhav joined CR on January 1, 1991, as non-gazetted staff in the engineering department. He has successfully climbed over 50 pinnacles in the Sahyadris (Western Ghats) and scaled 15 Himalayan peaks. He has completed his basic mountaineering course (HMI Darjeeling), advanced mountaineering course and search and rescue course (NIM Uttarkashi) with a grade 'A'. He has also undertaken numerous rescue operations for trekkers stranded in the Sahyadris.
Sandeep Mokashi's journey with CR
Sandeep Mokashi joined CR on June 18, 1996, as non-gazetted staff in the electrical department. He has successfully climbed over 12 pinnacles in the Sahyadris and 12 Himalayan peaks. He has completed his basic mountaineering course (NIM Uttarkashi) with a grade 'A'. He has also undertaken numerous rescue operations for trekkers stranded in Sahyadris.
A Central Railway official said, "In the past 25 years, the duo successfully climbed Mount Fluted (6,146 m) in 1996, Chamsher and Lungsher Kangri (6,622 m & 6,644 m) in 1998, Bhagirathi-II (6,512 m) in 2000, Dharamsura (6,420 m) in 2001, Ramjak (6,316 m) in 2002, Sri Kailash (6,855 m) in 2003, Black Peak (6,387 m) in 2006, Mount Fluted (6,146m) in 2008, Nandaghunti (6,309 m) in 2015, Jogin-III (6,115 m) in 2017, Chandrabhaga-13 (6,264 m) in 2018, Deo Tibba (6,001 m) in 2019, Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) in 2019, Chandrabhaga-13 (6,264 m) in 2021 and Mount Nun (7,135 m) in 2022. They have also scaled several peaks in the Sahyadri range and climbed many mountains over 6,000 m tall in the Himalayas."
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is known as Sagarmatha in Nepali and Chomolungma in Chinese. Its elevation is 8,848.86 m (29,031 ft). It is the tallest mountain on this planet, located at Mahalangur in the Himal sub-range of the Himalayas.
