Itanagar, Dec 5 : In a landmark achievement and a moment of immense national pride, an Indian Army mountaineering team from the Eastern Command has successfully scaled Mount Kangto (7,042 metres/ 23,103 feet), the highest peak of Arunachal Pradesh and a long-unclimbed sentinel of the Kameng Himalayas.

The ascent was achieved via the extremely challenging southern route, marking the first recorded successful summit of the formidable Mount Kangto, a Defence spokesman said today.
The victorious team was formally “flagged in” by Lieutenant General RC Tiwari, Army Commander, Eastern Command, who commended the mountaineers for their exceptional courage, discipline and perseverance in the face of extreme adversity.
Earlier, the 18-member expedition team had been flagged off on November 3 last from a forward base by the General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps. The team navigated some of the most hostile terrain in the Eastern Himalayas, enduring rarefied air at extreme altitudes, sub-zero temperatures, treacherous ice ridges, yawning crevasses and near-vertical ice walls.
Despite these harsh conditions, the climbers displayed the hallmark qualities of the Indian Army — unmatched grit, teamwork, professionalism and indomitable spirit — ultimately achieving a feat that had long eluded the mountaineering community, a statement from the Guwahati-based Defence PRO Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said.
The historic ascent of Mount Kangto not only highlights the Indian Army’s commitment to operational excellence and exploration but also stands as a tribute to the grandeur and untamed beauty of the Eastern Himalayas, the statement added.