Sonam Gyatso Mountaineering Institute

Sonam Gyatso Mountaineering Institute (SGMI) is a paramilitary mountaineering school, located in Gangtok, India.[1][2]

Sonam Gyatso Mountaineering Institute
Address
Map
Upper Sicheygaon, Sungava


India
Coordinates27°20′39.9″N 88°37′01.8″E / 27.344417°N 88.617167°E / 27.344417; 88.617167
Information
Founded25 September 1963
FounderSonam Gyatso
PrincipalSonam Wangyal
AffiliationGovernment of India

History

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In 1963, the Mountaineering Institute was established in Gangtok by Indian mountaineer Sonam Gyatso.[3][4] After the demise of Gyatso in 1968, the institute was renamed Sonam Gyatso Mountaineering Institute.[4] It is currently headed by former Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Sonam Wangyal as its principal.[5]

The institute is known for imparting high-altitude mountaineering training to Indian Army, IB, other paramilitary forces such as Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Assam Rifles.[6][7] Also, it runs short-term courses for civilians.[8][9]

List of expeditions

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  • 1979 Siniolchu expedition - 20 members from the institute climbed the peak.[10]
  • 1984 Mount Everest expedition - Institute's lead instructor Phu Dorjee became the first Indian to climb Everest without supplemental oxygen.[11][12]
  • 1991 Sanglaphu expedition - 11 members team from the institute made the first ascent.[13]

Notable faculty

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Rankings

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  • In 2016, Redbull included the institute in its list of top 10 mountaineering schools in India.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "PGD27-Mountaineering and Adventure Sports". Bureau of Indian Standards, Government of India. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  2. ^ Kashyap, Aishwarya Raghu (2016-05-22). "Seven off-beat courses at Indian colleges". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  3. ^ Dalal, Roshen (2017-08-23). India at 70: snapshots since Independenc. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 978-93-86815-37-8.
  4. ^ a b "Mountaineering institute completes 50 yrs, golden jubilee celebrations held". The Statesman. 2013-09-25. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  5. ^ "Among first Indians to summit Mount Everest, Sonam Wangyal recounts fabled 1965 expedition on its anniversary". Firstpost. 2020-05-20. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  6. ^ "Sonam Wangyal: From Surviving a Chinese Ambush to Standing on Mt. Everest". The Wire. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  7. ^ "By 23, This Ladakhi Had Climbed the Everest, Won Padma Shri & Battled The Chinese". The Better India. 2020-06-01. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  8. ^ "Student learn adventure skills at adventure tourism fest". scstsenvis.nic.in. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  9. ^ Dam, Satyabrata. "Want to become a mountaineer?". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  10. ^ Club, American Alpine; Carter, H. Adams. 1995 American Alpine Journal. The Mountaineers Books. ISBN 978-1-933056-42-5.
  11. ^ a b Service, Tribune News. "How can I forget Phu Dorje". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  12. ^ Kohli, M. S. (1989). Mountaineering in India. Vikas Publishing House.
  13. ^ "The HJ/48/21 EXPEDITIONS AND NOTES". The HJ/48/21 EXPEDITIONS AND NOTES. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  14. ^ Verma, K. C. (4 September 2021). "Intelligence Bureau" (PDF). The Indian Police Journal. LIX (4): 24. ISSN 0537-2429.
  15. ^ "The best mountaineering institutes in India". Red Bull. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 2021-09-03.