Uttarakhand 23
ship of Comdr. M. S. Kohli and K. P. Sharma who climbed
22510 ft. Nandakhat. In the same year, Gunner climbed Bander
Poonch (20456 ft) and Capt. (now Colonel) N. Kuwar climbed
Neelkanth (21640 ft.). Thus in the post-independence era, moun-
taineering came of age and during this period Uttarakhand
became centre of active mountaineering activity.
In the year 1960, the French climbed|Annapurna I (26041 ft.)
and Annapurna 11(24688 ft,) was climbed by the Germans and
Britishers. The first all Indian expedition was launched in the
summer of 1960 under Brig. Gyan Singh which unfortuna-
tely narrowly missed the peak. However, Chinese claim to
have climbed it from the Tibet side. The second party was
sent in 1962 under John Dias which again failed to scale the
peak. In the year 1963, the Americans successfully hoisted
their flag on top of the Everest. They were followed by the
Indians, the Swiss and the Japanese who pinned their national
flags on the ultimate height of the earth.
Mountaineering In Uttarakfaand
A befitting tribute was paid to the land and people of
Uttarakhand in the year 1964 when the government of Uttar
Pradesh and the Indian Mountaineering Foundation decided
to establish a mouataineering institute at Uttarkashi and
name it after Jawahar Lai Nehru as Nehru Institute of
Mountaineering, Uttarkashi. At the same time, the Manali
Institute of Mountaineering was opened by the Himachal
Pradesh Government. These Institutes opened vast area of
activity which ultimately led to the opening of numerous other
institutions, viz, the National Mountaineering Club, Nainital
Dutugar Mountaineering Club, Calcutta, Himalayan Enjoyers
Association, Chittaraujan, Mountaineering Institute, Mt. Abu
and Maharashtra Mountaineering Club, Bombay. These
pioneering clubs are doing remarkable service to the cause of
mountaineering by instilling an instinct of adventure amongst
the young boys and girls who wish to see the unseen and climb
the uuclimbable.
The call of the mountains
I had my own share of humble contribution to make in the