Pranab flags in Army expeditions to Mt Cho Oyu, Bhagirathi II

New Delhi, June 29 (UNI) Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today flagged-in two successful Army expeditions to Mount Cho Oyu (8210 M) and Bhagirathi II (6510 M) here today.

In the presence of Chief of Army Staff Gen J J Singh, Mr Mukherjee congratulated both the teams.

Complimenting the Army for its various adventure activities, he said it had been a pioneer in mountaineering in India.

He said Army mountaineers had participated in almost all major mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas.

The expedition to Mt. Cho Oyu, led by Lt Col Anand Swarup, was flagged off by Army Chief Gen J J Singh on April 12 this year from New Delhi.

The first batch scaled the peak on May 24 along with six members and six sherpas. The second batch scaled the peak along with seven members and five sherpas on May 26. The team scaled Cho Oyu from the traditional South West route.

The Maratha Light Infantry mountaineering team, consisting four officers, four Junior Commissioned Officers and 25 other ranks which successfully scaled Mt Bhagirathi II in the Garhwal Himilayas, was led by Lt Col I S Thapa.

The expedition aimed at training the team for its next venture to attempt Mana peak (7273 M) in August-September 2006, before taking on the challenge of Mt Everest in spring 2007.

UNI YJ HS GC1946