J&K officer first in Army to scale seven summits

Tribune News Service 

Jammu, January 10

Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal, a resident of Badhori village in J&K’s Samba district, has become the first Army officer to scale the seven summits, the highest mountains in each of the seven continents.

Colonel Jamwal achieved the feat on January 4 when he successfully climbed Mount Vinson in Antarctica. He shared his achievement on Facebook: “Mount Vinson, the highest mountain of Antarctica, climbed successfully on January 4, just landed at Punta Arenas (Chile) from Antarctica. It was not possible without your prayers. I am thankful to your support and blessings. Jai Hind.”

The officer had left for Antarctica on December 25 last year. His probable summit date was between January 6 and January 9, but he scaled it before schedule.

Having joined the Army as a sepoy in the Dogra Regiment on October 24, 1994, Colonel Jamwal has the distinction of climbing Mt Everest, world’s highest peak, thrice. Besides, he scaled the highest mountain of Africa (Mt Killimanjaro), Australia (Mt Carstenesz Pyramid), Europe (Mt Elbrus), South America (Mt Aconcagua) and North America (Mt Denali). 

He has done more than 30 expeditions across six continents. He and his team had rescued over 50 climbers from the Everest base camp following a major earthquake in 2015. He is also the recipient of the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award, the highest in the field in India.

AT record high

2010: Colonel Ranveer Jamwal scales Mt Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft) in Africa
2012: Mt Everest (29,035 ft) in Nepal; again climbs it in 2013 and 2015 
2013: Mt Aconcagua (22,841 ft) in South America 
2014: Mt Elbrus (18510 ft) in Europe 
2015: Mt Carstenesz Pyramid (16,024 ft) in Australia 
2017: Mt Denali (20,320 ft) in North America
2019: Mt Vinson (16,050 ft) in Antarctica