Honorary Secretary, Indian Mountain Foundation (IMF), Col Vijay Singh met Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, RK Mathur, in New Delhi on June 6.

Col Vijay briefed about the functioning of the organization in Ladakh, including its regulatory functions for foreign and Indian mountaineers and trekkers interested in expeditions. He apprised of the organizational structure and financial mandates of IMF in Ladakh and other states.

He informed that a proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs for the opening of 141 peaks in addition to the existing 120 open peaks for the promotion of mountaineering and trekking activities in Ladakh. He also proposed conducting the Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA) or The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation meeting in Ladakh in 2025 to promote Ladakh as a mountaineering hub. The IMF officials also apprised of the proposal submitted by Sonam Wangyal, a former Indian paramilitary personnel, and mountaineer from Ladakh who climbed Mount Everest in 1965 at the age of 23 for the development of an Academy, including a climbing wall/arena in Ladakh and the identification of land for its construction.

LG Mathur welcomed the decision to conduct the UIAA meeting in Ladakh in 2025. He inquired about the climbing history of the peaks open in Ladakh. He proposed launching an advanced international-level mountaineering guide course and training for local mountaineering guides as Liaison Officers (LOs) to build their capacity and enable them to become certified mountain guides/professionals.

LG also suggested collaborating with the Indian Institute of Mountaineering and other national and international mountaineering academies/institutions for conducting training programmes for mountaineering guides from Ladakh.