2007 Indian Army Everest Expedition
25 members, including 13 sherpas, of the Indian Army Everest Expedition 2007, scaled Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, on May 15 and 16, 2007. This was the fourth expedition by the Indian Army to Everest, but the first from Tibet side, and the treacherous North face. Earlier, Indian Army Everest Expeditions have scaled the peak in 1965, 2001, 2003, and, by an all women army expedition, in 2005. Selection and Training of the Indian Army Everest Expedition 2007. From the scores of volunteers for the expedition, the Army short listed 54. The selected  persons after rigorous training, and screening at the Western Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Manali, were sent on training, screening, cum-preparatory expeditions to Mount Bhagirthi-II (6,510 m) and Mount Mana (7,273 m) in Garhwal Himalaya. The second stage of the training, screening, cum-preparatory process, was conducted in the Siachen Glacier, in December 2006, during which expeditions were launched to scale heights in North and the central glacier. In March 2007, a 20-member team consisting of 3 officers, 4 Junior Commissioned Officers and 13 Non-commissioned officers was selected. Composition of the Expedition. The leader of the Indian  Army Everest Expedition 2007, was Lt Colonel Ishwor Singh Thapa, 38, of the 4 Maratha Light Infantry. The medical officer was Major Chanchal Kumar Haldar of the Army Medical Corps. The expedition had 20 members (14 climbers, 6 supporting staff) and 13 Sherpas. Summiteer. Indian Army Summiteers. The first group, which scaled the peak on 15 May 2007, included: Capt DJ Singh, Subedar M Khandagle, Havaldars Tshering Angchok, Balwant Singh Negi, Amardev Bhatt, Nandkumar Jagtap, sepoy Sachin Patil. The second group, which reached the summit on 16 May, included: Havildar Mingmar Sherpa (5/4 GR), Nandkumar Jagtap, Rambahadur Mall, Dayanand Dhali , Tejpal Singh and Khemchand. Sherpa Summiteers. The 12 Sherpas who reached the peak with the Indian Expedition were: Phurba Chotar, Karma Sherpa, Pasang Gyalgen, Ang Kami, Jangbu Sherpa, Sherap Sherpa, Damai Chhiri, Ngwang Pasang, Tashi Sherpa, Dawa Gyalzen, Tshering Finjo, and Sirdar Chhiring Dorjeehe. Sirdar Chhiring Dorjeehe, scaled Everest twice with the Indian Army expedition, first time on the 15 May and the second time on 16 May. This was in addition to scaling the peak on 2 May, the day of Buddha Purnima, when he placed a statue of Lord Buddha on Everest. He thus climbed Everest three times  in a span of two weeks.