Ever since its discovery as the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest is regar-ded the ultimate goal of mountaineers from all over the world. In 1953, the maiden ascent of Everest by Tenzing Norgay, along with Edmund Hillary, elec-trified the entire nation. Twelve years later, the Indian Everest Expedition 1965 set up a world record by putting nine climbers on the summit, catapulting India to become the fourth nation in the world to climb Everest.
Till the middle of 2006, 107 Indians have stood on the summit of Everest; one of the first two persons to reach the summit is an Indian; the first man to climb Everest twice is an Indian; the first woman to climb Everest twice is also an Indian. And the three climbers, who hold the world record of spending three nights at about 28,000 feet, are also Indians. The growth and development of mountain-eering and adventure sports in India is closely associated with numerous Indian ascents of Everest.
Captain Kohli has superbly chronicled all gallant Indian ascents till the middle of 2006. This volume will find a pride of place in the libraries of schools, colleges and corporates to inspire millions of our youth to scale the highest peaks of achievement in their chosen fields. with coloured photographs. |
