{"id":41651,"date":"2025-12-01T15:36:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T15:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/?p=41651"},"modified":"2025-12-08T08:53:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T08:53:50","slug":"lessons-at-28169-feet-from-kanchenjungas-summit-to-communities-in-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/lessons-at-28169-feet-from-kanchenjungas-summit-to-communities-in-need\/","title":{"rendered":"Lessons At 28,169 Feet: From Kanchenjunga’s Summit to Communities in Need"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

As I stood alongside Tenzing Norgay watching dawn break over the Himalayas, I learned lessons that would shape not only my life as a mountaineer but decades later my calling as a Lion.<\/p>

Today, in the 50th year of my Kanchenjunga Expedition, I feel deeply grateful as I look back at the journey that led me to the highest peaks and the deepest valleys, a remarkable adventure that introduced me to incredible people and resilient communities.<\/p>

My lifelong odyssey began in 1974, when I had the privilege of joining the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Manali, for my inaugural expedition to Frey Peak. The subsequent year brought truly indelible memories during the Kanchenjunga Expedition, where I had the singular honour of climbing alongside two towering figures of mountaineering: the legendary Tenzing Norgay and Sherpa Nawang Gombu, who, at that time, had already summited Mount Everest twice.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

That experience was a profound lesson in the very essence of teamwork, perseverance, and courage. Standing before the mighty Kanchenjunga, I was instantly awestruck by the sheer grandeur of Mother Nature. The snow-capped peaks shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight, the forests below thrived in a lush tapestry of green, and the vast plains seemed to stretch endlessly into the horizon.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Yet, as the climb commenced, this breathtaking beauty swiftly gave way to the harsh realities of high-altitude mountaineering. The air grew perilously thin, making each breath a calculated struggle. Icy winds mercilessly cut through every layer of clothing, and the unforgiving slopes relentlessly tested every ounce of my physical strength and mental focus. Still, I pressed onward, driven by an indomitable spirit of adventure.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The mountain demanded absolute respect at every step. I navigated glaciers riddled with deep crevasses, remained constantly vigilant for avalanches that could strike without warning, and endured winds capable of freezing exposed skin within minutes. High-altitude sickness, with its debilitating headaches, nausea, and exhaustion, was a constant, lurking threat. Every arduous moment underscored the very real danger ahead.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Finally, standing triumphantly atop Kanchenjunga, a feeling of pure happiness and profound pride filled my heart\u2014an emotion that remains truly beyond words.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe journey to those mighty mountains continuously reminds me of the enduring importance of perseverance, determination, and collaboration.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Now, as a Lion, I apply these same lessons in service to our communities. The pursuit of service, like the pursuit of a mountain summit, requires dedicated focus and an unwavering spirit.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

~ Pradeep S<\/em><\/strong>
Trivandrum Metropolis Lions Club,<\/em>
District 318 A<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As I stood alongside Tenzing Norgay watching dawn break over the Himalayas, I learned lessons that would shape not only my life as a mountaineer but decades later my calling […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41652,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2442],"tags":[2447,219,2448,2446,2389,2444,2397,2445,2388,574,2387,2395,2391,2394,458,2396,2393,2390],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41651"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41651"}],"version-history":[{"count":183,"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43818,"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41651\/revisions\/43818"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design7.nuvodev.com\/client\/lions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}