ExWeb Everest Debrief: Indian Navy
Jun 24, 2004 10: 20 EST
On May 18th at 8am Surgeon Lieutenant Viking Bhanoo, a navy doctor, planted an ice axe with the Indian tricolour and the Indian Navy's flag atop the summit. Of the 14-member team, nine climbers attempted the summit and five succeeded, the first three reaching the top May 18 and the remaining two, including Commander Satyabrata Dam on May 19.
Speaking on the occasion, the Indian Navy chief, Admiral Madhvendra Singh, said: "The spirit of adventure has always been predominant among seafarers and it is this spirit that has taken the Indian Navy mountaineers, who include seven submariners, from the deep blue seas to the top of the world."
Every step was challenging
In an interview with Anup Kutty for Sify news Commander Satyabrata Dam (Satya) talks about the tragic South Korean expedition that lost three of its climbers.
“Every step was challenging. But the climb from the last camp to the summit was definitely the toughest. We had to deal with so much. Our health was deteriorating, the winds were getting stronger and oxygen levels were low. And then we had to deal with a tragedy that happened before our eyes. It was both physically as well as emotionally difficult. A South Korean expedition had fallen apart. We saw a member dying in front of our eyes. He had a problem with his oxygen cylinder and he went blind in both eyes. I gave him a little of my oxygen and water but that did not help.”
When the cricket captain sneezes that's news for India, not the conquering of Everest.
Satya spoke to the local Indian newspaper NewKerala about reaching the summit "Of the 14-member team, nine climbers attempted the summit and five succeeded, the first three reaching the top May 18 and the remaining two, including Dam, May 19. We left everything and danced in sheer joy on that steep ridge. But the feat means nothing to Indians. The national obsession with sports like cricket and football is costing the country dear in other areas. When cricket captain Sourav Ganguly sneezes or actress Aishwarya Rai breaks her ankle, that's news for India, not the conquest of the highest point on earth”
Next up on the team’s to-do list is K2 and they plan to climb it from the North side. Satya also mentioned the seven summits; "Next we are planning for the seven summits which no Indian has done and no team in the world has done.”
The Indian Navy team kicked off their expedition in early March off the coast of Goa in a Russian EKM submarine, 250 ft below the surface, with the defense minister of India in attendance to flag the team. Commander Satyabrata Dam will lead the 14-member expedition on Everest’s North side.
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