In A Remarkable Feat, Two Kashmiri Men Scale Mount Everest For The Time

Two young men from Kashmir have done the valley proud by scaling the world's highest peak, Mount Everest. Both were part of the Mount Everest Summit organised by the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports (JIMWS) and the National Institute of Mountaineering.

The achievement of the duo - Mahfooz Ilahi of Kulgam and Army Man Havaldar Iqbal Khan of Kupwara - is being hailed as a watershed moment for the aspiring climbers in the valley.

News18

To scale the world¡¯s highest mountain peak is no mean feat and not everyone realises this dream in their lifetime. The duo reached the summit along with five five other climbers, News18 reported.

In achieving this remarkable milestone, Mahfooz Ilahi of Kulgam became the first Kashmiri Civilian Instructor from Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering Pahalgam to scale Mount Everest.

Their journey to the summit was flagged off On April 1, 2021, from Delhi and after two months of arduous expedition, the team returned to base camp after the successful summit of Mount Everest on June 1.

News18

Mahfooz told News18, that it was his dream to climb Mount Everest, which has been facilitated by the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and the National Institute of Mountaineering.

He revealed that hew had been interested in mountaineering since childhood and he took advanced mountaineering and trekking courses to become a professional mountaineer. It led him to being appointed an instructor at the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and was fortunate enough to get selected as a team member of Everest Summit.

Mahfooz said that there is no dearth of talent in Jammu and Kashmir, and that it was only a case of exposing that.

I extend my heartiest congratulations to Sh. Mahfooz Ilahi Hajam from Kulgam & Sh. Mohd Iqbal Khan from Kupwara for successfully scaling Mount Everest. Hope their feat will further inspire more youngsters to make J&K and the nation proud in the field of adventure & explorations. pic.twitter.com/ctPMJREtnT

¡ª Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) June 17, 2021

The Lt. Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, has also extended his congratulatory message to Mahfooz Ilahi and Iqbal Khan.

"I extend my heartiest congratulations to Sh. Mahfooz Ilahi Hajam from Kulgam & Sh. Mohd Iqbal Khan from Kupwara for successfully scaling Mount Everest. Hope their feat will further inspire more youngsters to make J&K and the nation proud in the field of adventure & explorations," his tweet read.

Also read; 9-YO From Pune Has Climbed Africa's Highest Peak Mt. Kilimanjaro, He Climbed Everest At Just 7