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TATA STEEL SUPPORTS EXPEDITION OF TRIBAL YOUTH TO SASER KANGRI
Jamshedpur-August, 2011 – Tata Steel has supported the expedition of three tribal youths to Saser Kangri IV (24 331 ft) in Eastern Karakoram range of Himalayas at Ladakh, which took place between 10th July to 21st
August, 2011. This is one of the Company’s continuous effort to empower and develop Leadership
Qualities of the Tribal Youth of Jharkhand.
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The three intreprid mountaineers are (a) Binita Soren (female) 24 years from Kesorsora Village
in Rajnagar Block, who has completed Basic and Advance Mountaineering Courses with A Grade,
participated in the Karakoram 18381 ft Expedition and climbed Mt. Stok Kangri 20305 ft under
Ms Bachendri Pal (b) Sheelarani Mahato (female) 18 years of Tumung village in Rajnagar Block
who has done her Basic Mountaineering Course with A Grade, climbed Stok Kangri 20305 ft and
participated in TSAF programmes and (c) Meghlal Mahato (male) 29 years of Paharpur village
Rajnagar Block who has completed both Basic and Advance Mountaineering Courses with A Grade
and also climbed Mt. Stok Kangri 20305 ft under Ms Bachendri Pal.
The expedition cost, amounting to Rs 3 lakhs, has been borne by Tata Steel, thereby championing
the cause of tribal welfare and empowerment. These young achievers will further be trained to take
on even more daring expeditions by Tata Steel Adventure Foundation.
Of the entire team that took off for this expedition, two have successfully reached the Summit of
this range; one of them being Meghlal Mahato of Jharkhand. It is for the first time that women have
ventured for climbing Saser Kangri. Of the 3 women in the team , Binita Soren performed well
whereby she reached a remarkable height of 22500 ft.
The Expedition had to face extreme bad weather and heavy snow conditions which made the climb
even tougher. In all, 4 camps had to be established before the Summit Attempt. The plan to climb
Saser Kangri 1 (25 171 ft) was abandoned for combination of bad weather and steep treacherous
route which this expedition comprised.
Mt Saser Kangri is the highest citadel of the Eastern Karakoram. Its proximity to the sensitive
Siachen glacier and Chinese territory has entailed that very few have ventured for the mountain
over the years to climb on its sheer avalanche ridden battlements. Dangerous overhanging cornices,
frequent ice and snow blocks rolling down the mountain faces, hidden crevasses, and steep routes
has deemed this mountain to be highly inhospitable and unwelcoming to climbers wishing to test
their mettle on rock and ice. It is considered one of the toughest peaks in India. Only four ascents
have been recorded on it, of which just one has been that of an Indian civilian expedition. The
present Expedition is only the second Civilian Expedition.
The Expedition organized by the Himalayan Club Kolkata and was led by experienced mountaineer Mr Pradeep Chandra Sahoo besides 7 other members of the Club.
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