Arunachal Pradesh’s first women climbers conquer 7,077-metre Mt Kun in historic feat

Two women from Arunachal Pradesh, January Tali and Hachu Lombo, have become the first from the state to summit the 7,077-metre Mt Kun in Ladakh. Governor Lt Gen K.T. Parnaik praised their historic achievement, calling it an inspiration for aspiring mountaineers.

Itanagar: Two women mountaineers from Arunachal Pradesh have scripted history by becoming the first women from the state to successfully scale the 7,077-metre-high Mt Kun in the Zanskar region of Ladakh, bringing laurels to the border state, officials said on Sunday.

January Tali and Hachu Lombo reached the summit at around 6 a.m. on July 27, marking a significant milestone for mountaineering in Arunachal Pradesh.

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January Tali hails from Yingkiong in Upper Siang district, while Hachu Lombo belongs to Anini in Dibang Valley district. Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen K.T. Parnaik (Retd) on Sunday congratulated the two mountaineers on their remarkable achievement, describing it as a moment of immense pride for the state.

According to a statement issued by the Lok Bhavan Secretariat, the Governor said that Tali and Lombo have etched their names in history by becoming the first women from Arunachal Pradesh to conquer the formidable Mt Kun.

“Their successful ascent reflects extraordinary courage, determination, endurance and mental strength,” the Governor said, adding that their achievement has brought honour to Arunachal Pradesh and would inspire countless young people, especially women, to dream big and pursue excellence in every field.

Lt Gen Parnaik (Retd) expressed confidence that the feat would encourage Arunachali youth to embrace physical fitness, adventure sports and a spirit of perseverance while motivating them to push beyond conventional limits.

He noted that Mt Kun, one of the highest peaks in the Zanskar range of the Indian Himalayas, is regarded as one of India’s most demanding high-altitude technical climbs because of its steep snow-covered slopes, treacherous glaciers, thin air and highly unpredictable weather conditions.

The expedition comprised a mixed team of nine climbers, including two women and seven men, excluding Sherpas. Highlighting the extreme difficulty of the climb, only four of the nine climbers successfully reached the summit.

For January Tali, the latest accomplishment adds another chapter to her growing list of mountaineering achievements. She had earlier scaled six Himalayan peaks within two weeks, including double summits of UT Kangri (6,080 metres) and Mentok Kangri-III (6,126 metres), besides conquering Mentok Kangri-I (6,268 metres) and Mentok Kangri-II (6,218 metres).

Officials said that both January Tali and Hachu Lombo would receive official summit certificates from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), New Delhi, in recognition of their successful ascent of Mt Kun.

The Governor said that the historic achievement of the two women mountaineers stands as a testament to the growing spirit of adventure and resilience among the youth of Arunachal Pradesh and is expected to inspire many more aspiring climbers from the state to take up mountaineering and other adventure sports.