Mumbai: A team of climbers from the Pune-based Giripremi mountaineering and adventure club, has embarked on an expedition to scale 6,310-meter-high Mount Meru in the Gangotri region of Uttarakhand - on of the most-difficult mountains to climb.
The team would be led by Umesh Zirpe, one of the renowned expedition leaders.
In the mountaineering fraternity, Mt. Meru is always considered one of the most challenging mountains to climb - and is rated above even Mt. Everest.
The flagging-off ceremony was graced by Kargil War veteran and one of the most-decorated Indian Army officers, Lieutenant General Dr Rajendra Nimbhorkar (Retd) and renowned industrialist and Chairman of Haware Group, Dr Suresh Haware.
The function was held at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in Pune.
Besides Zirpe, the team includes Vivek Shivade, Ganesh More, Dr. Sumit Mandale, Mingma Sherpa, Varun Bhagwat, Nikunj Shah, and Ronak Singh.
Gen Nimbhorkar and Haware presented the team with the tri-color flag of India, a symbol of their nation’s pride and hope.
"Climbing is an adventure sport that molds individuals into their best selves. The physical exhaustion encountered during a climb is profound, but it is the unwavering resolve of the mind that drives one forward. It is only upon reaching the summit that the true power of the mind is realized, a force that continues to inspire us to conquer the Everests in our own lives,” said Dr Haware.
Gen Nimbhorkar shared thrilling anecdotes from his 40-year military career and lauded the Meru team for their dedication to promoting the adventurous spirit of mountaineering.
He expressed immense pride in the efforts of the Giripremi Club's team, undertaking such a demanding expedition, and wished them success in their journey ahead.
Rahul Narute, Managing Director of Asian Machine Tool Corporation Pvt. Ltd., also conveyed his best wishes to the expedition team.
The program was moderated by Abhay Khedkar.
The event was attended by Usha Prabha Page, founder President of Giripremi Club; Anand Palande, founder member; Jayant Tulpule, President, Giripremi. Chandan Chavan, Director, Guardian Giripremi Institute of Mountaineering, Everest summiteer Bhushan Harshe; and several other esteemed mountaineers and adventure enthusiasts.