Veteran mountaineer and journalist Manik Banerjee & Lt. Col. R S Jamwal receive IMF Awards

Banerjee  was  presented the Lifetime Achievement award  in recognition of his accomplishments in mountaineering over a period of four decades  and invaluable  contribution in promotion of mountaineering and  allied adventure activities in various media  besides his yeoman service in spreading the spirit of adventure activities among the  underprivileged.

Lt Col Jamwal  was awarded the Gold Medal  for his achievements in mountaineering and  carrying out rescue work  beside campaigning for environment awareness.

Veteran lady mountaineer Chandra Prabha Aitwal and  Air Vice Mrshall Ranjit Kumar gave away the awards  in presence of  IMF President  Col (Retd) H S Chauhan and other leading mountaineers in the country during the Annual General  Meeting of IMF here Saturday.

Apart from making first ascent of Kaburu Dome in Sikkim Himalaya and  Jogin Two and first Indian ascent of  Uja Tirche ( both in Garhwal Himalaya) and participating in many major Himalayan expeditions including  Mt. Everest, Nanda Devi, Tirsuli, Herdeol during 1970s and 80s, Banerjee is still continuing with the movement for  spreading the spirit of adventure among the students and youths of the country.

Lt. Col Jamwal  has  the  distinction of  reaching the top of Mt. Everest thrice  during 2013, ’16 and ’17  besides climbing many other peaks in Indian Himalaya. He  was also actively involved in rescuing many of the trapped  climbers  in and around Kumbu Ice Fall , the base camp for  Everest Expedition from Nepal when  earthquake struck that country during pre-monsoon period of 2015.

Earlier during the annual general meeting of the IMF, the general body reelected Col H S Chauhan as its President for the year 2017 – ’18 and 2018- ‘19.