NSCA mountaineering instructors Yierhevitso Vakha and Marnungden Walling summit Mount Saramati to promote adventure sports.
DIMAPUR — Two senior instructors of the Nagaland Sport Climbing Association (NSCA), Yierhevitso Vakha and Marnungden Walling, summited Mount Saramati on October 31.
Mount Saramati, the highest peak in Nagaland, stands at approximately 3,840 metres (12,598 feet) above sea level.
According to an update, the expedition was undertaken to promote mountaineering, sport climbing, and adventure activities across Nagaland while encouraging youth to pursue physical fitness and outdoor sports.
Both climbers completed the Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC), Advance Mountaineering Course (AMC), and Method of Instruction (MOI) at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) in Darjeeling, securing Grade A in all three courses.
In addition to their qualifications, the instructors have undertaken mountaineering expeditions across India, climbing several Himalayan peaks ranging from 6,000 to 7,000 metres above sea level.
Through the NSCA, both instructors have trained and mentored climbers, including athletes who represented Nagaland at national and Asian-level competitions. In 2015, they also imparted rope rescue training to personnel of the Nagaland State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
Advocating discipline, endurance, and respect for nature, the instructors urged trekkers and climbers to practise responsible tourism by avoiding plastic waste and adopting a zero-plastic-waste approach during expeditions. They underlined the importance of preserving the natural beauty of the state's mountains.
Vakha and Walling also expressed their aspiration to undertake an expedition to Mount Everest to represent Nagaland on the global mountaineering stage.