NIM and JIM&WS Joint Team Successfully Summits Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina
By PIB Delhi
In a historic milestone for Indian mountaineering, a six-member team from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi and the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIM&WS), Pahalgam successfully summited Mt. Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America and the second-highest peak in the world outside of Asia, on February 22, 2026, at 14:10 hours.
The team led by Col Hem Chandra Singh (Principal, NIM and JIM&WS), was ceremonially flagged off by Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh, on February 5, 2026. Following their departure, the team arrived in Argentina on February 8, 2026, to begin their ascent.
To ensure acclimatization, the team first conquered Bonete Peak (5,050m) before tackling the extreme conditions of Aconcagua. The team including Capt G Santhosh Kumar, Shri Deep Bahadur Sahi, Shri Vinod Gusai, Nb Sub Bhupinder Singh, and Hav Ramesh Kumar overcame fierce winds and challenging temperatures between -20°C and -30°C, demonstrating exemplary grit, teamwork and professionalism.
This achievement underscores India’s rising stature in international mountaineering and the world-class training standards of our premier mountaineering institutes.
