A 25-member All India Sainik Schools Mountaineering Expedition team successfully climbed Stok Kangri peak (6183 m) in Leh region of Jammu and Kashmir. The expedition was flagged off by the Principal of Kunjpura Sainik School, Karnal in Haryana.

After reaching Stok village, the team camped there for two days for acclimatisation. After a night halt at Mankarmo (14,200 ft) the base camp was set up at Sakshu at an altitude of 16,000 ft. Here snow and icecraft training was imparted to the team members.

After proper acclimatisation and training, the team started off for its final assault on the peak. After about three hours of climbing during night, the team reached the main glacier at the base of the Stok Kangri peak. Here the snowfield was full of crevasses. After negotiating them with proper technique, the team reached the main South Ridge (19,000 ft). The climb at this juncture was quite tough and the rocks were also loose. At certain stretches, there was knee-deep snow which was negotiated very cautiously. The icy wind made the climb more difficult. Fourteen students led by JS Gulia, Hav Naresh Singh and Madhu Sharma braving all the odds stepped on the Stok Kangri peak. The climbers spent about 30 minutes on the top of Stok Kangri peak.

From Stok Kangri, one could see the towering peaks like Nun, Kun, Gulap Kangri, Parcha Kangri and many more unknown peaks of Ladakh and Karakoram ranges. The downward journey was even more difficult. All the climbers were roped up in different groups and on certain stretches they had to be extra-cautions. It took them five hours to reach the base camp.

With the scaling of Stok Kangri, the team achieved the distinction like the first all-India Sainik Schools Mountaineering Expedition to reach a height of 6183m having the youngest member to climb Stok Kangri. Seventeen climbers scaled the peak in one go and the peak was climbed in Alpine style.

A warm welcome awaited the team at Kunjpura, Sainik School. Later, the team members called on the Governor of Haryana, Mr Babu Paramanandji at Raj Bhawan, Chandigarh. The Governor congratulated them on their victory.