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Indian and Pakistani climbers together with a quadruple amputee joined forces recently for a Swiss climb to protect the environment, promote peace and commemorate the International Year of Mountains 2002 and the International Year of Eco tourism 2002
A small group of mountaineers from India and Pakistan arrived in Switzerland in response to a joint initiative of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) for a ‘real’ summit in the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn region which has recently been designated as the first UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in the Alps.
The team comprised mountaineers, Harish Kapadia and Mandip Singh Soin from India and Nazir Sabir and Col Sher Khan from Pakistan. Joining them was quadruple amputee Jamie Andrew from Scotland who lost both hands and both feet to severe frostbite in an accident in the Alps three winters ago.
IUCN and UIAA wanted to recognise the success of the Swiss Government in achieving World Heritage recognition for the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn region. The mountaineers from India and Pakistan wanted to use this opportunity to highlight the need to protect the Karakoram Mountains, which have been affected in some areas by armed conflict.
Daily reports of the party’s progress and observations of the mountain environment were sent to the IUCN’s Environmental Centre at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, and were posted on the IUCN’s and UIAA’s websites.
IUCN and UIAA invited key figures in sport, environment and peace to join the group of mountaineers on one of their excursions during the week. There was a briefing for the media in Geneva on 27 August when the team showed recent photographs of the Siachen Glacier and called for support for considering the Siachen Glacier as a peace zone for ecosystems conservation and international cooperation.
MOUNTAINEER PROFILES
Jamie Andrew from Edinburgh together with close friend Jamie Fisher was one of a young generation of British alpine climbers attempting difficult climbs in the greater ranges. In February 1999 both climbers were caught in a ferocious storm near the summit of Les Droites in the Mont Blanc Range. Tragically, Jamie Fisher did not survive the 5 nights the climbers were trapped and Jamie Andrew suffered severe frostbite, which resulted in the amputation of both hands and both feet.
Jamie made an inspirational recovery from his injuries and within 18 months of his accident, and using custom built artificial legs and walking sticks, he climbed Ben Nevis to raise funds for charity. He has also made a return to skiing and ice climbing. In March this year Jamie ran the London Marathon raising funds for charity and in May he took part in an international rock-climbing meet with the theme of overcoming barriers to participation.
Mandip Singh Soin is from New Delhi and is an internationally recognised leader in eco tourism. Mandip’s expeditions include first ascents in the Himalayas and being an instructor on Robert Swan’s UN ‘Ice walk’ expedition to the North Pole. Mandip organised the first Indian competition climbing team and is a regional Chairman for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
In 1979, he founded Ibex Expeditions, which has won the Government of India's Award of Excellence as India's most Eco Friendly Organisation 2000-01; the World Travel Market Environmental Company Award 2000; the Green Globe Distinction Award 1999; the PATA Gold Award 1999 for Green Leaf Environmental Education Programmes; and the PATA Asia Discovery Award 1998.
Mandip is the Chairman of PATA’s Environment and Eco Tourism Committee for India and has contributed to many international conferences on tourism, adventure and environment.
Harish Kapadia is from Bombay and an internationally recognised authority on the Himalayas. He has climbed 33 Himalayan peaks of which 21 were first ascents and has crossed 138 Himalayan Passes. Harish is one of the few people to have explored and climbed in the East Karakoram. Seven of Harish’s expeditions have been joint international teams of which three he jointly led with Sir Chris Bonington.
Harish is a member and office bearer of a number of mountaineering bodies including being Vice President of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and the Editor of the highly regarded Himalayan Journal. He has written 11 books on mountaineering in the Himalayas and in 1993 was awarded the President’s Gold Medal by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation. Earlier this summer as the joint leader of an India-Japan expedition Harish made a traverse from Shyok via the Karakoram Pass to the Nubra valley and Siachen Glacier.
Col Sher Khan is from Hunza and is an internationally recognised high-altitude mountaineer. He has climber three of the five 8000m peaks in Pakistan including the notorious Nanga Parbat. In 1982 with the world famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner, Sher Khan made ultra fasts ascents of Broad Peak and Gasherbrum 2. He has also led and summited on 2 highly successful Pakistan Army expeditions and in 1997 reached 8600m on the North Ridge of Everest.
Sher Khan’s high-altitude mountaineering and military career have developed in tandem; in 1984 with the President’s Medal for Pride of Performance for sport, in 1986 the Tamga-i-Basalat awarded for outstanding performance in officer training school, in 1989 the Sitara-i-Basalat for outstanding performance in mountaineering, and in 1998 the Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Distinction) awarded by the President of Pakistan for meritorious service and devotion to duty.
Nazir Sabir is from Hunza and is an internationally recognised high-altitude mountaineer. He has climbed four of the five 8000m peaks in Pakistan including a demanding new route on the world’s second highest peak K2. In 1988 he founded Nazir Sabir Expeditions, which is a recognised leader for adventure holidays, which has resulted in extensive travel to promote the culture, history and environment of Pakistan.
In 1994, he was elected as the representative for Hunza to the Northern Area Legislative Council and in 1995 was appointed as the Adviser for Education and in 1998 the Adviser for Tourism. In 1982, Nazir was awarded the President’s Medal for Pride of Performance for outstanding achievements in mountaineering and in 2001 he was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Distinction) by the President of Pakistan for outstanding achievements in mountaineering and being the first Pakistani to climb Everest.
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