[ Mingkeng Osik ]

ITANAGAR, 1 Aug: January Tali and Hachu Lombo from Arunachal Pradesh successfully summited Mt Kun in the Zanskar region of Ladakh.

They began their expedition on 16 July from Leh and reached the summit at 6 am on 27 July.

With this feat, they became the first women mountaineers from the state to climb the peak.

At 7,077 metres, Mt Kun is among the highest peaks in the Zanskar range of the Indian Himalayas. Known for its steep snow slopes, glaciers and harsh weather conditions, the mountain is considered one of India’s most demanding high-altitude climbing expeditions, requiring extensive acclimatisation, technical skills and exceptional physical endurance.

The expedition comprised a mixed team of nine climbers – two women and seven men – excluding Sherpas.

Of the nine participants, only four climbers successfully reached the summit, while the remaining members were forced to abandon their summit attempt due to the extreme conditions.

For Tali, who hails from Upper Siang district, the ascent marked another achievement to an already impressive mountaineering career.

Earlier, she became the first Arunachali woman to summit six Himalayan peaks within two weeks.

Both January Tali and Hachu Lombo are expected to receive official summit certificates from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, New Delhi, in recognition of their successful ascent of Mt Kun.

Lombo hails from Dibang Valley district.