Odisha youths complete advance mountaineering course from HMI

Kalinganagar: Four youths from three small villages of Kalinganagar area in Odisha’s Jajpur district have successfully completed the one-month advance mountaineering course from Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) at Darjeeling. With the support of Tata Steel, these youths completed the course recently. They returned with not only good memories but also with confidence that the skills they have learnt and certificates of the prestigious mountaineering institute would enable them in making a career in the police force or the Indian Army.

The four youths namely, Dhaneswar Jena of Ranagundi, Nalinikanta Mohanta of Rangahudi and Ajay Kumar Munda and Ranchi Purty of Bajrapalli of Kalinganagar were part of a 48-member batch which attended the 28-day advance mountaineering course at HMI. Earlier, with support of Tata Steel, the youths had successfully completed the basic mountaineering course and all of them cleared the course with ‘A’ grade in April 2016. After receiving grade ‘A’ certificates in basic mountaineering course, the youths were really looking forward to completing the advance course. They set out for the final course in the month of April this year.

Those qualified with ‘A’ grade in basic course are eligible for the advance course. The course provides advance training and experience of climbing a mountain in an expedition under the supervision of instructors. They also learn various techniques of rescue operations in varied mountainous terrains. The advance trainees spend 21 days in the mountains for learning higher skills. The advance course empowers a trainee with knowledge of actual climbing done in expeditions.

Ranchi Purty, one of the four youths who returned home after the course, says, “I did very well and the instructors appreciated my dedication. I hope that I will get a grade ‘A’ certificate this time also. If it happens I will definitely go for Methods of Instruction (MoI) course which is recommended for pursuing a career in mountaineering. I love mountaineering and want to become an instructor in some institute or an organization like HMI. Also, now that I have completed the advance course, its certificate will also help me in making a career in the Army.” Two more youths – Nirmal Mohanta of Baliapal and Antana Sinku of Jamposi had also completed the advance mountaineering course earlier in October 2016.

Under its youth empowerment initiatives, Tata Steel sends youths from its operational area for different expeditions including outdoor leadership camps at Tumung in Jharkhand and Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand, trekking at Mt Kanamo in Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh and Everest base camp, and mountaineering courses, both basic and advance, at Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling, every year.