TEAM PROFILE

Commander Satyabrata Dam, NM
Leader
42 years

Satya is a commerce graduate from DAV College, Kanpur and was commissioned in the Navy in 1988 and joined the Submarine cadre in 1989. Hailing from West Bengal, he took to the mountains at the age of 10, climbing his first peak, Mt Kolahoi at 12. He is an alumnus of the Alpine Schools of Chamonix (France), Innsbruk (Austria) and International School of Mountaineering, Switzerland and did his Basic and Advance courses from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling. He has climbed 32 major Himalayan peaks in his 30 year long climbing career.  With completion of the North Pole Expedition, he becomes the First Indian (along with other two from the team) to complete the ‘Three Poles’ challenge. He is also the only person in the world who has successfully led expeditions to all the ‘Three Poles’.

He led the Navy’s historic Mt Everest expedition in 2004 and became the first Indian Everest leader to summit the peak. He also led Navy’s Ski Expedition to the South Pole in 2006, which created many world and national records. Besides the Himalaya he has climbed in most of the major mountain ranges in the world including the European Alps, Andes, Tien Shan, Pamirs, Patagonia, Yosemite (USA), Blue Mountains (Australia), Western Cape (South Africa), Japanese Alps. Some of his major climbs outside the Himalaya include Aconcagua, Elbrus, Eiger, Khan Tengri, Grandes Jorasses, Mt Blanc, Matterhorn, Mt Cook, Kilimanjaro, etc. His Himalayan expeditions include Rimo, Nun, Satopanth, Saser Kangri, Padmanabh, Kamet, Abi Gamin, Kedarnath, etc.

He has been to many countries to deliver talks on the Himalaya and has represented India in international climbing meets abroad. His exploratory articles are featured regularly in some of the major mountaineering journals across the globe.

He is also an internationally published author. His hobbies include writing, travelling, photography, astronomy, criminology, magic, occult science and cosmology. He has excelled in badminton, cricket and water sports. He is also a sky diver.
He is presently the Joint Director (Mountaineering), and Officer in Charge of the Indian Navy Mountaineering Cell.

Lt Cdr AVINASH KHAJURIA
Age: 28 years

Avinash hails from Nagrota, Jammu and Kashmir. He did his schooling from Sainik School Nagrota, J & K and passed out in 1997. He joined National Defence Academy, Kharakwasla to fulfill his dream of joining Armed Forces and completed his Bachelor of Sciences degree from JNU. He was commissioned into INDIAN NAVY on 01 Jan 2002. He is a Logistics cadre officer of Indian Navy. He did his Basic and Advance Mountaineering Course from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in 2004.

He took part in the Greenland Ice cap crossing expedition and also skied to the South Pole in 2006. He was instrumental in uploading and maintaining the website on South Pole Expedition. With successful completion of the North Pole Expedition, Avinash joins the elite ‘Two Poles’ club and is among the first Indians to have done so.

Hobbies/Skills : He plays hockey, football, loves to work on computers and enjoys trekking in weekends. He recently got married.
 
Surgeon Lt Ajay Sharma
31 years
Ajay belongs to Shimla and has been an avid trekker from his earlier days. He is a MBBS from the Indira Gandhi College, Shimla and currently the medical officer on board INS Angre, Mumbai. He is a keen guitarist, photographer and hiker. He did his Basic Mountaineering Course from NIM, Uttarkashi with ‘A’ grading. He was a member of the Greenland Ski traverse expedition in July 2006 and also skied to the South Pole in 2006. En route to South Pole he delivered a baby at 35,000 ft on board an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York, which is a ‘First’ for an Indian doctor and one of the rarest feats in aviation history. With the successful completion of the North Pole Expedition, Ajay now joins the elite ‘Two Poles’ club and is among the first Indians to have done so. He also becomes the only doctor in the world to have skied to both the geographic poles. He is married to an Army Medical officer and has a 2 year old daughter.

 MCERA Raj Kumar
Age: 36 years

He is an Engineering graduate from BITS Pilani. An alumni of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi & Directorate of Mountaineering Allied Sports, Manali, he has done his Basic and Advance Mountaineering Courses. Rajkumar is a qualified Sky Diver. He is a rare combination of submariner, mountaineer and sky diver. With the successful completion of the North Pole Expedition, Raj Kumar joins the elite ‘Two Poles’ club and is among the first Indians to have done so.  He is also the first sky diver cum submariner in the world to have skied to both the geographic Poles.

Mt. Sujtilla (6373m), Siachen Winter Training, Mt. Kamet (7756 m), Mt. Abi Gamin (7354 m), Mt. Saser Kangri IV (7367 m) and Mt. Everest (8848 m) are some of the key naval expeditions he contributed to. He also skied to the South Pole in 2006. He was the coach for the Navy National Winter Games team in 2008.
 
He is a recipient of the prestigious YASH BHARTI SAMMAN 2006 Award, which is the highest civilian award bestowed by the Govt of Uttar Pradesh. Presently, he is the Assistant Oi/C of the Indian Navy Mountaineering Cell, Delhi. His hobbies include any kind of physical activities and reading. He is married and has a 8 year old son.

Rakesh Kumar
Petty Officer Medical Assistant, NM
Age:  33 years

Rakesh was commissioned in Jan 1993 as Medical Assistant and thereafter decided to join the Submarine cadre in 1997. He completed his education from Govt School, Ludhiana. Rakesh is a qualified mountaineer, having done his Basic Mountaineering Course and Advance Mountaineering Course from HMI and Mountain Search & Rescue course from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi. He hails from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

An Everester from Indian Navy’s expedition of May 2004, Rakesh also took part in expeditions to Mt. Kamet, Mt. Saser Kangri and Greenland Ski Traverse in 2006. He also skied to the South Pole in 2006. He climbed Abi Gamin and above 7000 meters in Saser Kangri. He was awarded the Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) for summitting Mt Everest. He represented the Navy in the recently concluded National Winter Games in Gulmarg. With completion of the North Pole Expedition, he becomes the First Indian (along with other two from the team) to complete the ‘Three Poles’ challenge.

His hobbies include traveling and reading. He is presently posted in INS Asvini, Mumbai.

Vikas Kumar
Petty Officer Medical Assistant, NM
Age :  25 years

Vikas Kumar is a medical branch sailor from the submarine arm. He was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1998 as Medical Assistant and thereafter opted for the tough life in the submarine arms in 2002.

The quietest and the most unassuming member of our team, Vikas summitted Everest on 18 May 2004 for which he was awarded the Nao Sena Medal for Gallantry. He is among the very few people in the world who have summitted Everest in their maiden foray into the high mountains. His climbing experience includes the summit of Mt Konzak Tso in 2004 , trekking to Sunderdunga Glacier and Winter training camp in Siachen Glacier. He was a member of the Greenland ski expedition team and also skied to the South Pole in 2006.

Vikas enjoys reading medical books and watching adventure sports. He is a complete sports enthusiast and represented Western Naval Command in Navy Cross-Country Championship and Navy Athletics Championship thrice. He was awarded the Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) for showing extreme bravery to summit Everest under adverse conditions. He reprenseted the Navy team in the recently concluded National Winter Games in Nordic skiing event. With completion of the North Pole Expedition, he becomes the First Indian (along with other two from the team) to complete the ‘Three Poles’ challenge.

He is presently posted at INS Vajrabahu, Mumbai. He just got married.

RAMENDRA PANDEY
LME
AGE: 30 Years

Ramendra is a Leading Mechanical Engineer. He belongs to Chattisgarh. He is a BA in Hindi from Guru Ghasidas University. He joined the Navy in January 1997. He has done Basic Mountaineering from HMI, Darjeeling and Advance Mountaineering from NIM, Uttarkashi with ‘A’ grades. His hobbies include reading, swimming, chess. He is currently posted at INS Shivaji, Lonavala. He successfully skied to the geographic North Pole.

BRIJENDRA SINGH
SEA I PT II
Age: 25 years

Brijendra Singh is a Physical Trainer sailor. Born and brought up in the foothills of Pauri Garhwal District, climbing came naturally to him. After completing his basic education, he joined DAV College, Dehradun and soon after his second year enlisted into the Indian Navy. Brijendra did his Basic and Advance Mountaineering Course from HMI, Darjeeling. He is a topper in Physical Training Course from Indian Navy Physical Training School, Kochi.

He was a member of the Greenland ski expedition and also skied to the South Pole in 2006. He climbed Mt Nilkanth (one of the most difficult and dangerous mountains in the world) in 2007 and was a member of Mt Changuch expedition. He represented the Navy team in the recently concluded National Winter Games in Gulmarg in Nordic Skiing. With the successful completion of the North Pole Expedition, B Singh joins the elite ‘Two Poles’ club and is among the first Indians to have done so.

In his spare time, he prefers to listen to music and read books. Presently he is posted as Physical Training Instructor at Circars, Visakhapatnam.

MANOJ VATS
SEA I PT II
AGE: 25 Years
Manoj Vats Hails from Haryana. He is a Physical Trainer sailor and also a ‘Ship’s Diver’. He did his Basic Mountaineering from HMI, Darjeeling. He was a member of the Greenland Ski Expedition team and skied to the South Pole in 2006. With the successful completion of the North Pole Expedition, Manoj joins the elite ‘Two Poles’ club and is among the first Indians to have done so.

His hobbies are reading classics and science books.

He is presently posted in INS Ranvijay, Visakhapatnam.

SONAM TAMCHOS
Medical Assistant I
21 years

Sonam is the youngest member of the team. A medical branch sailor, Sonam was commissioned into the Navy in 2004. He is a natural in the outdoors. Belonging to Ladakh, Sonam has been trekking since an early age and would often go biking to the Khardungla Pass (18340ft) on weekend vacations.

One of the best performers during the Greenland Ski Expedition, Sonam was ever ready with a smile. He also skied to the South Pole in 2006. He enjoys playing football, basketball and hockey. He represented the Navy in the recently concluded National Winter Games in Gulmarg in Alpine Grand Slalom Event. With the successful completion of the North Pole Expedition, Sonam joins the elite ‘Two Poles’ club and is among the first Indians to have done so.