Ranveer Jamwal

{{short description|Indian mountaineer (born 1975)}}

{{BLP sources|date=June 2025}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Use Indian English|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox military person

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Ranveer Singh Jamwal

| rank = 22px Colonel

| native_name =

| image = Lt_Col Ranveer Singh Jamwal-2.jpg

| caption = Col Ranveer Singh Jamwal

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|12|26|df=y}}

| death_date =

| birth_place = Badhori, Jammu and Kashmir, India

| birth_name =

| allegiance = {{flag|India}}

| branch = {{army|India}}

| serviceyears = 1994–present

| servicenumber =

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| commands =

| battles =

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| awards = 33px Vishisht Seva Medal (BAR)

32px

Sena Medal

| spouse = Kiran Jamwal

| laterwork =

| signature =

| website =

}}

Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal (born 26 December 1975) is an Indian Army officer and mountaineer. He currently serves as the Director of the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports.{{Cite web |last=Ramasubramanian |first=Deepa |date=2023-09-19 |title=One Man, 28 Peaks - Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal's Incredible Climb Across India |url=https://thebridge.in/mountaineering/one-man-28-peaks-colonel-ranveer-singh-jamwals-incredible-climb-across-india-43858 |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=thebridge.in |language=en}}

Jamwal has participated in over 70 mountaineering expeditions{{Cite web |title=How mountaineering expeditions play crucial role in mountain warfare training |url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/2025/01/17/mountaineering-expeditions-play-a-crucial-role-in-mountain-warfare-training.html |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Week |language=en}} across all seven continents. He holds several achievements to his credit, including one world record, two Asian records, and four Indian records.{{Cite web |last=Roy |first=Ritaja |date=2023-09-07 |title=On top of the World: Colonel Ranveer Jamwal clinching records with every new expedition |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2023/Sep/07/on-top-ofthe-worldcolonel-ranveer-jamwal-clinching-records-with-every-new-expedition-2612374.html#:~:text=top%20mountain%20climbers.-,He%20is%20the%20first%20from%20the%20Indian%20Army%20to%20climb,mountaineering%20as%20an%20adventure%20sport |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}

Early life and education

Ranveer Singh Jamwal was born on 26 December 1975 in Badhori, Samba district, Jammu and Kashmir, into a military family. His father, Onkar Singh, served as a Havildar in the Indian Army.{{Cite web |last=editor |first=D. D. E. |date=2020-07-21 |title=Meet The Army Officer Who Climbed Mt Everest Thrice |url=https://defencedirecteducation.com/2020/07/21/meet-the-army-officer-who-climbed-mt-everest-thrice/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=DDE |language=en-US}} He completed his schooling at Army School, Ratnuchak, before qualifying the Army Cadet College (ACC) examination and joining the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, in 1998.

In 2003, Jamwal completed all four skiing and mountaineering courses at the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), Gulmarg. He later specialised in search and rescue operations at the Swiss Mountain School, Andermatt, in 2007.

Mountaineering achievements

Jamwal became involved in outdoor adventure activities such as trekking, white-water rafting, and cycling in 1999. After completing mountaineering and skiing courses, he was appointed as an instructor at the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in 2006. In 2007, he climbed Mount Machoi (5,658 metres), marking the beginning of his mountaineering career.

= Seven Summits =

class="wikitable sortable"
Continent{{Cite web |date=2018-12-25 |title=Meet Ranveer Singh Jamwal, The First Indian Army Officer Who Will Complete Seven Summits |url=https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/social-relevance/meet-ranveer-singh-jamwal-the-first-indian-army-officer-who-will-complete-seven-summits-359244.html |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Indiatimes |language=en-IN}}PeakDate
AfricaMount Kilimanjaro23 October 2010{{Cite web |date=11 January 2019 |title=J&K officer first in Army to scale seven summits |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/j-k-officer-first-in-army-to-scale-seven-summits-711617 |via=The Tribune}}
AsiaMount Everest25 May 2012, 19 May 2013, 19 May 2016{{Cite web|url=https://khabar.ndtv.com/news/india/indian-army-team-conquers-mount-everest-1407826|title=भारतीय सेना की टीम ने माउंट एवरेस्ट फतह किया|website=NDTVIndia|access-date=2020-04-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526165238/http://khabar.ndtv.com/news/india/indian-army-team-conquers-mount-everest-1407826|archive-date=2016-05-26|url-status=live}}
South AmericaAconcagua1 January 2013
EuropeMount Elbrus26 June 2014{{Cite web |date=5 July 2014 |title=Maj Jamwal scales Mt Elbrus |url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/maj-jamwal-scales-mt-elbrus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826102539/https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/maj-jamwal-scales-mt-elbrus/ |archive-date=26 August 2019 |access-date=25 September 2019 |work=Daily Excelsior}}
AustraliaCarstensz Pyramid9 October 2015
North AmericaDenali20 June 2017
AntarcticaVinson Massif4 January 2019{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/you-cant-challenge-mountains-you-survive-them-colonel-ranveer-singh-jamwal-first-army-officer-to-climb-seven-peaks-talks-about-his-love-for-mountaineering/article26722332.ece|title=Meet Col. Ranveer Singh Jamwal, the first Army officer to climb the seven peaks|first=Deepa|last=Alexander|work=The Hindu |date=3 April 2019|via=www.thehindu.com|access-date=28 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403142403/https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/you-cant-challenge-mountains-you-survive-them-colonel-ranveer-singh-jamwal-first-army-officer-to-climb-seven-peaks-talks-about-his-love-for-mountaineering/article26722332.ece|archive-date=3 April 2019|url-status=live}}

= Mount Everest expeditions =

  • 2012: Served as Deputy Leader of the Indian Army Everest Expedition, during which seven women officers summited Mount Everest, setting a national record.
  • 2013: Led the Indo-Nepal Everest Expedition to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest. All 20 members of the team successfully summited.
  • 2015: Led the Indian contingent, but the expedition was called off due to the Nepal earthquake. The team conducted rescue operations at Everest Base Camp.
  • 2016: Led a team that had attempted Everest in 2015, successfully guiding all 14 members to the summit.

= Har Shikhar Tiranga Mission =

File:HAR SHIKHAR TIRANGA.jpg

In 2022, Jamwal led the Har Shikhar Tiranga Mission, an initiative in which a team from the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) scaled the highest peaks of all 28 Indian states. This made him the first person to accomplish this feat.{{Cite news |last=Peri |first=Dinakar |date=2023-10-14 |title=Har Shikhar Tiranga mission {{!}} 'A journey of unity, patriotism, and adventure' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/har-shikhar-tiranga-mission/article67420793.ece#:~:text=The%20mission%20had%20many%20aims,the%20third%20phase,%20with%20Mt. |access-date=2025-02-06 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}

= Cycling expeditions =

In 2022, Jamwal led a seven-member cycling team that covered 1,100 km across all seven Northeastern states of India, becoming the first team to achieve this.

In February 2023, he led an expedition that cycled 5,374 km across six Southeast Asian nations in 37 days, setting new Asian and Indian records.{{Cite web |last=Sentinels |first=India |title=Col Ranveer Jamwal-led NIMAS team creates history, completes 6-nation cycling expedition |url=https://www.indiasentinels.com/defence-ministry/mod/col-ranveer-jamwal-led-nimas-team-creates-history-completes-6-nation-cycling-expedition-5755 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=www.indiasentinels.com}}

Rescue operations

Jamwal has participated in several high-altitude rescue operations, including:

  • Mount Nanda Devi East (2007)
  • Mount Chaukhamba (2008)
  • Mount Naini Post, Gurez Valley, Jammu and Kashmir (2009)
  • Mount Kedar Dome (2012)
  • Everest Base Camp (2015)

Awards and recognition

Jamwal has received several military and civilian honours in recognition of his achievements in mountaineering:

  • Vishisht Seva Medal (2013) and Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal (2014)
  • Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award (2013){{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Mayank |date=2020-09-04 |title=Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal: Mountaineer who helped soldiers gain heights in Spanggur Gap |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/Sep/04/colonel-ranveer-singh-jamwal-mountaineer-who-helped-soldiers-gain-heights-in-spanggur-gap-2192269.html |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}
  • Sena Medal (2022)
  • Multiple Chief of Army Staff Commendation Cards (2010, 2012, 2017, 2019)
  • Gold Medal for Excellence in Mountaineering from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (2018)
  • Sher-e-Kashmir Award for Outstanding Sportsperson of Jammu and Kashmir (2016)

References