NIM–JIM&WS Team Scales Mt Aconcagua in Argentina
Six-member Indian expedition conquers South America’s highest peak at 6,961 metres
- Six-member joint team from NIM and JIM&WS summits Mt Aconcagua
- Expedition led by Col Hem Chandra Singh
- Team faced extreme weather with temperatures as low as -30°C
- Marks a major milestone for Indian mountaineering
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 24th Feb: In a landmark achievement for Indian mountaineering, a six-member joint expedition from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) and the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIM&WS) successfully summited Mount Aconcagua on February 22, 2026, at 14:10 hours local time.
Standing at 6,961 metres, Aconcagua is the highest peak in South America and the second-highest peak in the world outside Asia. The expedition was led by Col Hem Chandra Singh, Principal of both institutes.
The team was ceremonially flagged off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on February 5 before departing for Argentina. The climbers reached South America on February 8 and began preparations for the ascent.
As part of acclimatisation, the team first scaled Bonete Peak at 5,050 metres before attempting Aconcagua. Battling fierce winds and sub-zero temperatures ranging between -20°C and -30°C, the mountaineers demonstrated resilience, coordination and technical skill.
The summit team comprised Capt G Santhosh Kumar, Deep Bahadur Sahi, Vinod Gusai, Nb Sub Bhupinder Singh and Hav Ramesh Kumar, along with the expedition leader.
Officials described the successful ascent as a reflection of India’s growing footprint in global mountaineering and the high training standards maintained by the country’s premier adventure institutes.
