Gangtok: The Indian Army, under the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), summited Mt. Kangchenjunga (8,586 m)—the third-highest mountain in the world and India’s highest peak—on May 18 as part of the ‘Har Shikhar Tiranga’ Mission. The campaign aimed to hoist the national flag atop the highest point in each of India’s 28 states, and the successful ascent of Kangchenjunga marks a 100% success rate for NIMAS.
Conceptualised as a patriotic initiative to promote national pride and unity through adventure, the mission reached its symbolic climax with this ascent of Sikkim’s holiest mountain. A press release from the Indian Army celebrated the feat, noting that the expedition, led by Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal, saw every member who attempted the climb reach the summit.
“This wasn’t just an expedition. It was a tribute to every corner of India. From the dense forests of the Northeast to the icy ramparts of Kangchenjunga, our Tiranga has now flown atop every state’s highest point. I’m proud of the team and honoured to lead a mission that reflects the unity and diversity of our great nation,” said Colonel Jamwal.
However, the climb has triggered protests in Sikkim, where Mt. Kangchenjunga—locally known as Kangchendzonga—is revered as the Guardian Deity and a sacred peak. The mountain has long been off-limits for ascents from the Sikkim side. Religious organisations and communities had strongly objected to the proposed climb and even appealed to the Ministry of Defence to halt the expedition, citing cultural and spiritual sanctity.
Leading the protest was the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), the apex body representing the state’s Bhutia and Lepcha tribal communities. On April 4, SIBLAC had submitted formal objections to the Ministry of Defence and the Governor of Sikkim, Om Prakash Mathur, urging intervention to stop the mission.
Reacting to the summit, SIBLAC advisor S.D. Tshering Lepcha called it a “sad incident” and expressed deep disappointment. “Despite our letter to the Ministry of Defence, the expedition was allowed to proceed. This violates the Places of Worship Act, 1991, and the Sikkim government’s 2001 notification banning expeditions to Mt. Kangchenjunga,” he said.
Lepcha criticised both the Ministry of Defence and the state government for ignoring local laws and failing to uphold the sanctity of the mountain. “The Ministry has ignored the rules in place, and the state government has not enforced them strongly. People are now taking advantage of this weak enforcement,” he said.
He recalled how public backlash had previously forced the removal of Kangchenjunga from a list of sacred peaks opened for climbing. “Four to five years ago, when the Government of India opened some sacred peaks for climbing, people protested, and Mt. Kangchenjunga was removed from the list. Yet, here we are again,” he added.
Lepcha insisted that permission should be mandatorily sought from the state government before summiting any sacred peak in Sikkim. “The state must enforce the Act more stringently. Right now, we only react after an expedition has happened—that’s our weakness,” he said.
On the claim that such expeditions could boost tourism in Sikkim, Lepcha responded sharply: “There are many other challenging peaks in Sikkim for climbers. Why Kangchenjunga? It’s sacred. Tourism cannot come at the cost of our faith.”
He also indicated that legal action may be taken if such expeditions continue in the future. “Since the Places of Worship Act is already in place, legal options are available to us. We can move court to question why the ban is not being properly enforced,” Lepcha said.
The controversy has reopened a sensitive and longstanding issue in Sikkim—one that pits national adventure ambitions against deeply held spiritual and cultural values of the indigenous people.
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