Two women mountaineers from Arunachal Pradesh have successfully climbed Mt Kun, a 7,077-metre peak in Ladakh’s Zanskar range, adding another milestone to the state’s growing achievements in adventure sports.
January Tali from Yingkiong in Upper Siang district and Hachu Lombo from Anini in Dibang Valley district reached the summit at around 6 a.m. on July 27 after completing a challenging high-altitude expedition.
The achievement has been widely appreciated, with Arunachal Pradesh Governor K.T. Parnaik congratulating the two climbers for their successful ascent.
In a statement, the Governor said, “Their successful ascent reflects extraordinary courage, determination, endurance and mental strength.”
He described the achievement as a matter of pride for Arunachal Pradesh and expressed confidence that it would encourage more young people, especially women, to participate in adventure sports and adopt a physically active lifestyle.
Located in the Zanskar range of the Indian Himalayas, Mt Kun is considered one of the country’s most difficult technical climbs. The mountain is known for its steep snow-covered slopes, dangerous glaciers and rapidly changing weather conditions, making it a demanding expedition even for experienced climbers.
The expedition team consisted of nine mountaineers—seven men and two women—excluding Sherpas. Of the nine climbers, only four were able to reach the summit, highlighting the challenging nature of the climb and the level of endurance and technical skill required to complete it.
For January Tali, the successful ascent marks another significant achievement in her mountaineering career. She had earlier climbed six Himalayan peaks within a span of two weeks, including UT Kangri (6,080 metres), Mentok Kangri-I (6,268 metres), Mentok Kangri-II (6,218 metres) and Mentok Kangri-III (6,126 metres), earning recognition for her consistent performances in high-altitude expeditions.
Both January Tali and Hachu Lombo will receive official summit certificates from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), recognising their successful ascent of Mt Kun.
