Solan: The Lawrence School, Sanawar celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Sanawar Everest Expedition-2013 in its premises today. In the event named, “Sanawar-The Everest Connect”, four of the seven diehard intrepid brave hearts who summited the Everest, the world’s highest peak in the wee hours of 21st May 2013, shared the details of their adventurous journey with the young students of the school. Over six hundred students heard with rapt attention as Shubham Kaushik (Delhi), Hakikat Singh Grewal (Punjab), Prithvi Singh Chahal (Punjab) and Ajay Sohal (Himachal Pradesh) reminisced their interesting yet bone-chilling journey to the top of the world. This herculean feat had made The Lawrence School, Sanawar; the only school in the world to unfurl its national tricolor and the school flag atop the lofty peak. The cub mountaineers then aged 15-17 years remain the youngest school team to scale the Everest.
The seed of the expedition was sown during September 2012 year when a seven member team was short-listed among the volunteers after a grueling basic mountaineering course at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling. On completing the course the team returned back to school where the members were further imparted three weeks of enhanced endurance and fitness training under dietary supervision of a qualified instructor, especially deputed by HMI Darjeeling. Subsequently the team did a 1000 kms long cycling expedition from Suratgarh to Jaisalmer in ten days. Thereafter the team underwent intermediate and advanced courses of fortitude and acclimatization under army’s supervision at formidable heights of Khardung la pass in Ladakh. Armed with a sound training under duress and trying circumstances the Sanawarian climbers were healthy in brain and brawn to take on the challenge.
Consequent upon flagging- off on April 2, 2013 from the School, the Sanawar Everest Expedition arrived at the base camp in Nepal on April 19. Their final ascent was scheduled for the third week of May from the southern face of the massif. The team reached camp 4 by the evening of 20th May, wherefrom it made the final attempt for the summit at midnight. The team used oxygen from camp 4 and carried a traditional prayer flag given by the locals to revere the mountain. And Godspeed, the empowering determination and persistence proved conducive for the team to reach the summit at the dawn of 21st May, 2013. The seven young achievers were felicitated for their accomplishment by eminent dignitaries such as His Excellency Pranab Mukherjee, the then President of India, Former President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and the iconic Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bacchan.
The event also witnessed inspiring presentations by Neeraj Khanna, Beeban Singh and Rohini Prakash who graduated from The Lawrence School, Sanawar in the year 1985. The students were highly impressed and motivated by the presentation as these people in their mid-fifties spoke about successful trek to the Everest Base Camp recently in the month of May. The event was followed by a “Tree- Plantation” drive under the Theme of “Plant for Mother-A CBSE initiative under Shiksha Saptah” wherein the dignitaries present on the occasion along with students planted tree saplings on the school campus. The dignitaries present included Praveen Vasishth, former Headmaster of the Lawrence School Sanawar, Major Sanjeev Sharma(retd.), Major Genral Kulpreet Singh(retd.), Col. N.J.S. Pannu (retd.) and Pankaj Sapru, president of the Old sanawarian Sociaty and member , Board of Governor of the Lawrence School, Sanawar.
Lt. General Tejinder Singh Shergill (Retd.),PVSM, an alumnus of The Lawrence School, Sanawar graced the occasion as the chief guest. In his address, General Shergill said, “Everyone should live with the spirit of a warrior in life regardless of which profession you choose and administered a pledge on the students to lead life like a true warrior.” The chief guest felicitated the Everest Summiteers and Col. P.S. Grewal for his crucial enabling role in Sanawar Everest Expedition-2013. Proposing a vote of thanks, Himmat Singh Dhillon, Headmaster of the School, said that the conquest of Everest was not a mere step but a giant leap for Sanawar. “The summiteers indomitably upheld their school credo – Never Give In – in letter and spirit”, he quipped.
