Gangtok, 19 October, 2012:

The natural calamity in North Sikkim last month after the disastrous earthquake in Sikkim on 19 September 2011 had cast a spell of gloom over the vibrant adventure tourism in Sikkim. The initiative to enliven the spirit of adventure was taken by the Black Cat Division by planning to summit Mt Kokthang, a 6147 m high peak in West Sikkim.

A selected team of mountaineers of Black Cat Division under the leadership of Major Gaurav Negi was flagged off by the General Officer Commanding of Black Cat Division on 27 Sep 12 for the mission. The stoic peak has fascinated mountaineers in past and has been scaled thrice. Motivated with the spirit of ‘creating and not repeating history’ the team decided to scale Summit ‘Charlie’ of the peak, a feat never attempted before.

On 08 Oct 2012,  the sunrise on Mt Kokthang was witnessed by seven summiteers who broke the shibboleth of Summit ‘Charlie’ and hoisted the flags of Army’s Trishakti Corps and Black Cat Division on it. Major Gaurav Negi gave complete credit of success to the camaraderie and ‘Never Say Die’ attitude of the team and his deputy Capt PK Rai.

The scaling of the peak will provide the necessary impetus to the adventure tourism in the picturesque state of Sikkim. The synergy between the actions of the Army’s Black Cat Division and the state has again come to the fore. The expedition team has safely returned back to Gangtok on 14 Oct 2012.

 

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