New Delhi: To mark the first ascent of the world's highest peak Mount Everest 50 years ago, an Indian expedition on May 21 successfully put two climbers atop the peak.

Kushang Sherpa and Nadre Sherpa part of a Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) expedition scaled the summit at 12.30 pm (IST) on May 21, according to a message received at the Army headquarters.

This is the fourth ascent of the world's highest peak by an Indian expedition. While the HMI expedition succeeded, the first summit bid by a joint Indo-Nepalese Army team was thwarted by bad weather.

A summit party of the expedition was beaten back by stormy conditions early on May 21 morning, reports said.

It said due to continuous bad weather and stormy conditions, the expedition, which has already scaled the tough neighbouring peak Mt Lhotse, was unable to launch the subsequent summit bid.

"We will make fresh bid for the summit as soon as weather breaks," the expedition leader said in a communication.

Army chief general NC Vij, a keen adventure sport follower, is keeping track of the expedition.

The Indo-Nepalese mountaineers are seeking to mark Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's historic climb to the 8,848 metre peak on May 29,1953, by attempting to conquer it once again and mark the 50th year of its first ascent in style.

PTI



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