Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 26

Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal from Samba district is all braced up for the seventh summit. He has already scaled the highest mountain peaks in six continents of the world.

A serving Army officer, Colonel Jamwal, is preparing to scale Mount Vinson Massif in Antarctica in December. By doing so, he will become the first person from the state and from the Army and the ninth Indian to complete seven summits in the seven continents of the world.

The other eight Indians who have achieved the extraordinary feat are late Malli Mastan Babu, Premlata Agrawal, Tashi Malik, Nungshi Malik, Commander Satyabrata Dam (retd), Satyarup Siddhanta, Ankur Bahl and Group Captain RC Tripathi.

Hailing from a small village of Badhori in Samba, Colonel Jamwal has the distinction of climbing the world’s highest peak Mount Everest in 2013, 2015 and 2016, besides undertaking 30 expeditions across six continents. Colonel Jamwal has scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mount Carstensz Pyramid in Australia, Mount Elbrus in Europe, Mount Aconcagua in South America and Mount Denali in North America.

“Both my father and my grandfather also served in the Army. So, it runs in our blood,” Colonel Jamwal told The Tribune over the phone. “Whatever I am today is because of the Army,” Colonel Jamwal said.

“It is always a great feeling when you achieve something extraordinary in life. Scaling mountains in all seven continents was my long-cherished dream which I hope will come true now,” the Army officer said.

Colonol Jamwal said despite announcement of the state award by the government in 2016, he had not received it yet.

“The award was announced a few years ago by the government. In fact, I have sent reminders to the government but there has been no response,” Colonel Jamwal said.

Colonel Jamwal is the recipient of the highest adventure award of India — Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award — which was conferred on him in 2013. He was declared the best mountaineer of India by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation in 2017 and was also awarded a gold medal.