Spear Corps team sets off for Mt Khangchengyao expedition

Kolkata, Aug 18 (IANS) A team of mountaineers from the Spearhead Division of the Spear Corps of the Indian Army set off for Mt Khangchengyao in North Sikkim on Tuesday.

Mt Khangchengyao is 6,889 metres high and is considered an extremely challenging mountain to climb. It has steep ice walls, and the weather in the area is unpredictable.

“Embracing the spirit of adventure, resilience, and teamwork, Spearhead Division under Spear Corps ceremonially flagged off the Mt Khangchengyao Expedition 2026 to Mt Khangchengyao (6,889 metres) from Rayang Military Station, Arunachal Pradesh. From Rayang to the summit, the expedition embodies the spirit to aim high, endure together, and overcome every challenge with determination, carrying the Tricolour proudly to the peak,” the Spear Corps of the Army’s Eastern Command posted on X.

Located near India’s northern border, Mt Khangchengyao is the fourth-highest peak in Sikkim and the tenth-highest in India. In this part of the Himalayan region, locals identify most of the mountains, especially the high peaks, as deities. Peaks are also differentiated by gender. Locals deeply revere and fear Mt Khangchengyao. They identify it as a male mountain, and local legend says it gets angry when a woman sets foot near it.

According to folklore, the weather near the summit worsens every time a woman climber approaches the base camp.

The mountain has a unique shape. It is dome‑shaped and does not have a pointed peak. The nearly rounded top tapers down its sides at 75‑80 degree angles, making climbing difficult.

The Spear Corps, or III Corps, is a Mountain (Holding) Corps, with troops trained in high‑altitude operations. It is headquartered in Dimapur, Nagaland, and is involved in counter‑insurgency operations in the northeastern states. It also plays a major role in managing the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. This Corps also participated in the Battle of Walong during the 1962 Indo‑China War.

–IANS

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