Date:13/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/13/stories/2007091354170800.htm

National

Western Command completes 60 years

Special Correspondent

CHANDIGARH: The Western Command Diamond Jubilee celebrations began at the Chandimandir Military Station near here on Wednesday with Lt. Gen. Daljeet Singh, GOC-in-C, Western Command flagging in the Leo Pargial mountaineering expedition.

Led by Major Anil Manhas of Dogra Scouts, the expedition team members, including three officers and 23 men, were awarded the Army Commander’s commendation cards by General Singh.

The expedition was flagged off from the Pooh sector on August 23, and it scaled the Leo Pargial Peak, which lies at a height of 6,673 meters in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh on August 31.

General Singh said that the expedition not only inculcated the spirit of adventure sports among the army personnel but also honed their mountaineering skills and the spirit of camaraderie. He further said that Leo Pargial was a mountaineer’s delight and posed a challenge to climbers. The climb had become tougher due to receding snow line, he added.