Chandigarh-Commemorating 76 years of Independence, Gurjot Singh Kaler, a senior police officer in Punjab, scaled and unfurled the tricolour on the highest of Mount Elbrus — the best and most outstanding peak in Russia and Europe.
Kaler, a professionally-trained mountaineer, was adjudged the perfect mountaineer throughout his Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC) on the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) at Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand.
His latest feat is noteworthy contemplating that the Caucasus’ tallest mountain, Mount Elbrus, is 5, 642 metres (18, 510 toes) above sea stage.
There had been 4 others in Kaler’s group, which reached the highest of Mount Elbrus on August 11 at 7 a.m. after battling heavy snowstorms, thunderstorms and atmospheric lightning.
Mount Elbrus is roofed in snow via out round and is house to 22 glaciers that feed three rivers — Baksan, Malka and Kuban. Elbrus is a part of the Caucasus mountain vary, close to the Georgian border within the south of Russia.
The Caucasus technically sits in Asia and Europe, though most geographers place it in Europe. It’s a mountain vary that spans two continents.
Committed to the spirit of combating local weather change and international warming, the mission of Mount Elbrus was devoted by Kaler to exhort the world neighborhood to protect the setting and create consciousness about depleting forest reserves throughout the planet and melting of glaciers.
“It took five days to successfully do the summit after acclimatisation hikes to Mount Cheget and Pastukhov Rocks. The weather was very turbulent on the day of the summit and there was a lot of lightning and thunderstorms which made the climb very difficult, ” Kaler instructed IANS over cellphone.
At one level, it regarded unimaginable however the sheer willpower, perseverance and dedication served him in good stead all through the adventurous expedition.
“It is only in tough circumstances that we can test the real toughness of mind, ” he mentioned.
Kaler has turn into the primary Punjab Police officer to scale Mount Elbrus. Earlier, he had efficiently climbed the summit of the best mountain within the African Continent — Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
The daredevil officer had additionally carried out a skydive from 15, 000 toes through the Covid pandemic to function a heartfelt tribute of bravery and braveness to the corona warriors who had sacrificed their lives through the pandemic.
He’s presently dealing with the cost of AIG (Excise and Taxation) and was awarded with the Chief Minister’s Medal for excellent devotion to responsibility in January 2023. He was additionally conferred with the Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Raj Yuva Puraskar by the federal government of Punjab in March 2023 for his battle towards drug abuse in Punjab and for selling the tradition of sports activities.
Kaler feels that his efforts when it comes to climbing Mount Ebrus will go a good distance in awakening the world neighborhood to affix fingers for combating local weather change.
He admits that international warming and local weather change is a grim actuality of “our times and every region on earth is impacted by our actions”.
“Even the latest ghastly floods in Punjab and Himachal may be attributed to lack of ecological steadiness and disrespect to the Mother Earth. Therefore, it’s crucial to grasp the precarious state of affairs via which the whole humanity is passing via proper now and take concerted actions earlier than its too late.
“Rather, the truth is that we are already quite late in combating global climate change and if we continue to ignore the warnings of Mother Nature, a day will come when everything will be simply lost forever, ” Kaler added.