Subedar Major and Honorary Captain

Chhering Norbu Bodh

SC
Born1969 (age 54–55)
Village Chobrang, Lahaul and Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh, India
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Army
Years of service1988-2013
Rank Subedar Major
Honorary Captain
Service number3989092
UnitDogra Regiment
Known forMountaineering
AwardsShaurya Chakra
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award
Gold medal of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation
Alma materHigh Altitude Warfare School
President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam presenting the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2005, under the Land Adventure category, to Sub. Chhering Norbu Bodh at a function in New Delhi on August 29, 2006.

Subedar Major and Honorary Captain Chhering Norbu Bodh, SC, (retd.) (born May 1969, also known as CN Bodh) is a retired personnel of the Indian Army, known for his mountaineering achievements while in the army. Bodh holds a number of Indian summiting records related to 8,000m peaks. Among others, he is the first Indian mountaineer to have climbed six of the fourteen 8000m peaks in the world, and the first Indian to stand atop Lhotse and Annapurna-1.

Personal life

Bodh hails from the Spiti valley, Himachal Pradesh.[1][2][3] He joined the army soon after matriculating from school. He is known to be a devout Tibetan Buddhist.[4]

Mountaineering achievements

Successful 8000m summits

Bodh is known for having successfully climbed six 8,000m peaks in expeditions conducted by the Indian Army:

  1. Mt Everest (2001)[5][6]
  2. Mt Annapurna (2002)[7][8][9][10]
  3. Mt Lhotse (2003)[11][12][13][14]
  4. Mt Kanchenjunga (2004)[15][16][17]
  5. Mt Cho Oyu (2006)[18][19]
  6. Mt Dhaulagiri (2009)[20]

Bodh is the first Indian who summited three,[21] then four,[22] then five,[19] and then six 8000m summits.[23][24][25][26]

Bodh is the first Indian to have set foot on the summits of Annapurna-I and Lhotse.[7][11]

Others

Bodh summited Gyagar peak (6,400m) in Spiti in August 1995[27] and Mana Peak (7,273m) in 2000.[24] He contributed significantly to the successful Army Women Everest Expedition in 2005.[24][28]

Recognition

Shaurya Chakra

In 2001, Bodh was awarded the Shaurya Chakra, India's third highest peacetime gallantry award, for successfully summiting Mt Everest under daunting conditions on 23 May 2001. The citation for this award reads as the following:[29]

3989092 LANCE NAIK CHHERING NORBU BODH, DOGRA
(Effective date of the Award 23rd May, 2001)

Lance Naik Chhering Norbu Bodh was selected as a member of the Indian Army Everest Expedition 2001. On 23 May 2001, he was part of the second summit team attempting to summit Everest, after having spent two nights at camp – III (26000 ft). However, blizzards forced them to turn back from 27,000ft. Though exhausted by the effort, he refused to accept defeat. On 23 May 2001, at 2200 hours, he commenced his attempt. Re-entering the Death Zone on Everest above 26,000ft at night required every ounce of physical and mental strength apart from conspicuous courage. He soon started losing strength due to cold, strong winds, poor snow conditions and lack of oxygen. But he continued doggedly and at the same time kept encouraging his team-mates. At Hillary Step he was thoroughly exhausted but in a superhuman effort, he marshalled his remaining energy and clawed his way up the dangerous precipice of rock covered with verglas. His mind fought against loss of energy, numbness in fingers and toes and lack of oxygen but he made it through the step. Then with very little left in him except his mental strength and determination, he willed his body to move. Through this great effort he kept helping and encouraging his team-mates. He finally reached the summit to bring glory to the team and the Army.

Lance Naik Chhering Norbu Bodh displayed undaunted determination and conspicuous courage in the face of extreme elements.

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award

On 29 August 2006, Bodh was awarded the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award, the highest adventure sports honor bestowed by the Government of India, for the year 2005 in the Land Adventure category. This award recognized Bodh for the whole span of his achievements in mountaineering till then.[24]

Others

Bodh received COAS (Chief of the Army Staff) Commendation Cards on Army Days in 2008[30] and 2010.[31]

Bodh, a JCO in the Indian army, was made an Honorary Captain while approaching retirement, on account of his distinguished career.[32][33]

Bodh was regarded among India's best mountaineers in the years when he was climbing 8,000m peaks.[4][34][35]

Bodh is an 'Individual Member' of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), the Government of India's apex mountaineering body.[36][37]

References

  1. ^ Sengupta, Rudraneil (4 May 2012). "Vertical limit". mint. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  2. ^ "R-Day celebrated in minus 10 degrees in Himachal town". www.daijiworld.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  3. ^ Mukherjee, Sanjay (2020). The Road to Kaza - The Diary of a Winter Homestay in Spiti. Pune: Mountain Walker Private Limited. pp. 276–294. ISBN 978-81-940505-8-2.
  4. ^ a b Austa, Sanjay. "C N Bodh - India's Mountain Goat". www.the-south-asian.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  5. ^ Ghimire, Dhanraj, ed. (2018). Mountaineering in Nepal - Facts and Figures. Kathmandu: Ministry of Culture, Tourism, & Civil Aviation (Govt. of Nepal). p. 38.
  6. ^ Kohli, M. S. (2006). On Top of the World: The Indian Everest Saga, 1854-2006. Indus Publishing Company. p. 295. ISBN 978-81-7387-199-3.
  7. ^ a b Ghimire, Dhanraj, ed. (2018). Mountaineering in Nepal - Facts and Figures. Kathmandu: Ministry of Culture, Tourism, & Civil Aviation (Govt. of Nepal). p. 272.
  8. ^ Lt. Col. Sharma, S.C. (2003). "Indian Army Annapurna-I Expedition, 2002". The Himalayan Journal. 59.
  9. ^ "Army Chief commends first Indian expedition to Annapurna-I". archive.pib.gov.in. 7 May 2002. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  10. ^ "Annapurna-I expedition flagged-in". archive.pib.gov.in. 19 June 2002. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  11. ^ a b Ghimire, Dhanraj, ed. (2018). Mountaineering in Nepal - Facts and Figures. Kathmandu: Ministry of Culture, Tourism, & Civil Aviation (Govt. of Nepal). p. 172.
  12. ^ Col. Abbey, Ashok (2004). "Indian Army on Everest and Lhotse". The Himalayan Journal (60). Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  13. ^ "The Ascent of Everest and Lhotse 2003". Indian Mountaineering Foundation. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  14. ^ "Indo-Nepalese army expedition scales Mount Lhotse | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. 13 May 2003. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  15. ^ Ghimire, Dhanraj, ed. (2018). Mountaineering in Nepal - Facts and Figures. Kathmandu: Ministry of Culture, Tourism, & Civil Aviation (Govt. of Nepal). p. 160.
  16. ^ "Several summit Kangchenjunga". www.everestnews2004.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Himalayan Database Expedition Archives of Elizabeth Hawley - Ascents of Autumn 2004". www.himalayandatabase.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  18. ^ "Himalayan Database Expedition Archives of Elizabeth Hawley - Ascents of Spring 2006". www.himalayandatabase.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  19. ^ a b "Entire Indian Army Expedition Atop Cho Oyu". oneindia. 27 May 2006.
  20. ^ Ghimire, Dhanraj, ed. (2018). Mountaineering in Nepal - Facts and Figures. Kathmandu: Ministry of Culture, Tourism, & Civil Aviation (Govt. of Nepal). p. 215.
  21. ^ Prasad, Shankar (2005). The Gallant Dogras: An Illustrated History of the Dogra Regiment. Lancer Publishers. p. 256. ISBN 978-81-7062-268-0.
  22. ^ Defence, India Ministry of (2004). Annual Report. Ministry of Defence. p. 40.
  23. ^ "Adventure/Sports - Major Achievements". www.indianarmy.nic.in. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  24. ^ a b c d "Press Information Bureau". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  25. ^ "Expedition/Adventure". Pratiyogita Darpan. 4 (38): 210. August 2009.
  26. ^ An Atlas of Army Adventure. Army Adventure Wing/DCOAS (IS & C) Sectt. 2021. p. 77.
  27. ^ "ｲﾝﾄﾞ･ﾋﾏﾗﾔ登山年表 山名順 (Indian Himalaya mountaineering chronological table in order of mountain name)" (PDF). Japan Alpine Club. 2022.
  28. ^ "Army Commander felicitates women's Everest team". The Tribune. 26 July 2005.
  29. ^ "Gallantry Awards | Ministry of Defence, Government of India". www.gallantryawards.gov.in. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  30. ^ "List of personnel recommended for COAS commendation cards on Army Day PDF Free Download". docplayer.net. 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  31. ^ "List of Personnel awarded COAS Commendation Cards on the occasion of Army Day 2010". www.indianarmy.nic.in. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  32. ^ Menon, Shyam G. (14 August 2015). "A school teacher in Kaza". Outrigger. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  33. ^ "Unstarred question No. 2717: Honorary Ranks to Defence Personnel" (PDF). Govt. of India, Defence, Lok Sabha. 15 March 2001.
  34. ^ "Kanchenjunga Expedition- The preparations/ Delhi/ Siliguri/ Darjeeling ". Sanjay Austa. 1 March 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  35. ^ "To the top of the world and back". Mid-day. 19 June 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  36. ^ "IMF MEMBERSHIP".
  37. ^ "LIST OF MEMBERS".
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