Umesh Zirpe
Credit: X/@giripremi
Mumbai: Veteran mountaineer, adventurer and mentor Umesh Zirpe will be conferred with the coveted Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2023 for Lifetime Achievement in the Field of Adventure.
Zirpe is the only person from India who has led successful expeditions to all eight of the world's highest eight-thousanders.
This distinguished honour is equivalent to the Arjuna Award and is the highest recognition for an individual's contribution to adventure sports in India.
The award will be presented by President Droupadi Murmu on January 17 during a grand ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
Associated with the Pune-based mountaineering club Giripremi, Zirpe is the founder and Director of Giripremi Mountaineering Institute (GGIM) and Giripremi Adventure Foundation (GAF).
Zirpe, an Everester, is the President of Akhil Maharashtra Giryarohan Mahasangh (AMGM), the apex mountaineering body of Maharashtra.
Zirpe is a recipient of Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Award, the highest award in the field of sports in Maharashtra.
This remarkable achievement not only marks a significant milestone in Zirpe’s illustrious career but also serves as a proud moment for Giripremi, reinforcing its legacy in the world of mountaineering and adventure sports. Zirpe has dedicated his life to the advancement of mountaineering in India, inspiring countless young mountaineers through his leadership, expertise, and passion for adventure.
The Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award is India’s highest recognition for excellence in the field of adventure sports, and Zirpe’s lifetime of contributions to the mountaineering community and his enduring spirit of adventure make him a deserving recipient of this honour.
Zirpe is also the President of Swaroopseva, an organization working for the underprivileged sections of society. He has published over 1,000 articles on mountaineering and authored books on Mount Everest, Sherpas, Kanchenjunga, and mountaineering for children.
He has participated in rescue operations during natural disasters such as the Konkan floods, Leh cloudburst, Uttarakhand earthquake, Nepal earthquake, and various Himalayan rescue expeditions.