Son of Olympian takes hockey stick to Mount Everest
To wish Indian hockey team's return to glory in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the most recent conqueror of world's highest and toughest peak, Mount Everest, has taken a hockey stick atop the peak on May 20.
The rare and unique feat was achieved by Colonel Sarfraz Singh, one of Olympian Colonel Balbir Singh Kular of Sansarpur. Colonel Sarfraz Singh has thus become the first son of an Olympian to conquer Mount Everest.
Colonel Balbir Singh was the youngest member of the Indian team to Mexico Olympic Games in 1968.
Colonel Sarfraz Singh, who is the Director of NIMAS in Arunachal Pradesh, led a team of eight climbers, including six Army men.
Talking to PTC News, Colonel Sarfraz says that he fulfilled the dream of his father of taking a hockey stick to Mount Everest, both for India's past glory in the sport and also to wish its 2020 team good luck for the ensuing edition of summer Olympic Games.
"My first team climbed on May 19 at 8.30 a.m. I went next morning at 6.30 a.m. The weather was fine on both the days though there were usual strong winds across the highest peak of the world," said Colonel Sarfraz Singh.
To make sure that no false claims of climbing the peak are made, the Government of Nepal has put up a statue of the first King of Nepal atop Mount Everest. Only those claims of conquering Mount Everest are entertained and recognised when they produce pictures with the statue atop the highest peak of the world.
Colonel Sarfraz Singh and his team chose the south-west route through Nepal to conquer the peak.
"On my return, I plan to present this hockey stick to Hockey India," says Colonel Sarfraz Singh.
In pictures: Colonel Sarfraz Singh with a statue of King of Nepal atop Mount Everest
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Colonel Sarfraz Singh displays hockey stick atop Mount Everest
