'Siachen Hero', Col Narendra 'Bull' Kumar passes away at 87

New Delhi, Jan 1: Ace mountaineer Colonel Narendra 'Bull' Kumar (Retired), who had a major contribution in helping India to secure the Siachen Glacier passed away on Thursday - the last day of the year 2020 - at the Army Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi due to age-related illness.

 

 

At that time, the Indian Army went ahead with the mission to occupy the Siachen heights under Operation Meghdoot based on his reconnaissance reports. One of the initial inputs about the Pakistani plans to annex the Siachen glacier also came to be known by the Army through this iconic mountaineer who was commissioned into the Kumaon Regiment in 1953.

 

 

 

Col Narendra was awarded the Kirti Chakra, Padma Shri, Arjun Award, and the McGregor medal. He carried out multiple expeditions in the Siachen glacier area in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

 

Col Narendra was the first Indian to climb Mount Nanda Devi. He climbed Mount Everest in 1965, Mount Blanc( highest peak in the Alps), and later Mount Kangchenchanga.

 

Col Narendra climbed all these peaks despite losing four toes due to frostbite in earlier expeditions. In 1981, as a member of the Antarctica Task Force, he played a stellar role. He earned the nickname 'Bull' for relentlessly charging into everything he did.