Amit Shah Lauds ITBP For Scaling Mount Makalu; Praises Cleanliness Drive

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday lauded the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) for their successful ascent of Mount Makalu, the fifth highest peak in the world.

He praised the team’s resilience and spirit, particularly their efforts to uphold environmental responsibility during the expedition.

Taking to X, Shah posted, “Congratulations to the ITBP jawans on their stellar success in summiting Mount Makalu, the fifth highest peak in the world.”

“Braving extreme weather conditions, the ITBP personnel unfurled the Tiranga at the peak of the mountain and carried out a cleanliness drive inspired by PM Shri @narendramodi Ji’s Swacch Bharat Abhiyan and removed 150 kg of garbage. I applaud their courage and commitment,” the post added.

Historic Ascent By ITBP

The ITBP reached the 8,485-meter summit on 19 April, achieving a major milestone as the first Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) to conquer the peak.

The feat was part of a dual international mountaineering mission to Mount Makalu and Mount Annapurna, launched from New Delhi on 21 March.

The team, led by Deputy Commandant Anoop Kumar Negi and Deputy Commandant Nihas Suresh, was divided into two groups of six.

Five climbers from the Makalu group successfully reached the summit at around 08:15 hrs.

The team included Assistant Commandant Sanjay Kumar, Head Constables Sonam Stobdan, Pradeep Panwar, Bahadur Chand, and Constable Vimal Kumar.

The Annapurna group, meanwhile, endured severe weather conditions, including snowstorms and whiteouts, reaching up to 7,940 meters before making a safe retreat 150 meters short of the summit later that same day.

As part of the ‘Clean Himalaya – Save Glacier’ initiative, the ITBP collected 150 kg of non-biodegradable waste during the climb, reaffirming the force’s environmental commitment.

This successful climb marks the sixth eight-thousander scaled by the ITBP, which has also conquered Mt Everest, Mt Kanchenjunga, Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Lhotse, and Mt Manaslu.

To date, the force has summited 229 peaks, cementing its legacy in high-altitude missions.

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