Age no bar: At 52, PWD XEN Sarb Raj sets an example by conquering Mt Everest

Tribune News Service
Kapurthala, July 13

Advertisement

At 52, when most government officials start the countdown to their retired life, PWD XEN Sarb Raj chose to set up a rare example. As everyone was reeling through the second wave of Covid, he showed his exemplary fitness taking on a mission to climb Mount Everest.

Working for the past few years to build up his stamina and endurance, Sarb Raj finally set out on his two-month mission on April 3 returning last month. In his honour and to encourage the visitors on maintaining a high level of fitness, especially in Covid times, Deputy Commissioner Deepti Uppal has chosen to set up a photo gallery of 12 big size pictures clicked by the XEN at the district administrative complex. Sarb Raj today handed over his pictures to the DC for the purpose.

Narrating his account, Sarb Raj said in his two-month expedition, he had to bear extremes of weather with temperature ranging between as low as -30°Celsius to as high as 52°Celsius. “It was not easy. I had bought special clothing from here for low weather conditions. For protection from heat and the sharp UV rays, I was trekking with ice packs on my head. It was not easy to spot bodies of unknown people who could not survive calamities during their trek and to know that their bodies too could not be rescued back”, he said adding that low oxygen level and extreme cold conditions drained everyone in the expedition not only physically but also mentally.

Sarb Raj said there were 400 people in the expedition, most of whom could not complete it for one reason or the other. “There are many factors which need to be taken into account for taking such expedition. The most important of these, of course, is the physical and mental strength and second is financial. The trip cost me several lakhs of rupees as permits, charges to be paid to a company hired for the trek and special equipment are all highly priced. The third most important part is the family support. I had to convince them all that I will quit my expedition if at any point of time I see any risk to life. It actually took me more than years to convince them all that I return hale and hearty. Signing a self-declaration form that one is going on own risk and parting from the family too weighed heavy on mind,” he now laughs.

Sarb Raj shares: “My preparation for this expedition started as early as in 2010 when I started mountaineering. Just as people find peace in visiting places of worship, I find solace in mountain peaks”. He also climbed the highest peak in the Leh Range Stock Kangri besides highest peak Kilimanjaro in Tanzania at African continent in 2017.

He won the title of ‘Iron Man’ in a competition organised by the World Triathlon Corporation, Florida (US), in Malaysia in 2019, for which he got training of seven months. He completed the triathlon sports in 16 hours which included 3.86 km swimming, 180 km cycling and 42 km running.

The DC while setting up a gallery of his pictures said it would inspire others to take care of their health and exercise. Sarb Raj was also honoured by the Punjab Government on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev along with 550 prominent Punjabi personalities in the world.