Asia, India–Garhwal, Kamet, 1984

Publication Year: 1986.

Kamet, Probable Ascent and Tragedy, 1984. A 16-man team from Calcutta arrived at Base Camp at Basudhara Tal at 16,800 feet on August 29, 1984. It was led either by Prodyot Chatterjee or Pranesh Chakraborty; it is not quite clear who was the leader. Camp III (Advance Base) was set up on the East Kamet Glacier at 19,000 feet on September 4. Camp III was established on September 17. A summit attempt on September 18 by Chakraborty, Pulak Majundar, Sukhendu Mukherjee, Sherpa Lhakpa and Sherpa Kami failed 800 feet from the top. On September. 19, 1984 Chakraborty dropped out but the other four again attempted the climb. As they approached the top, the weather deteriorated. At five P.M. they “thought” they were on the summit. Descent in the dark was difficult. Just before reaching Camp VI, Mukherjee fell into a crevasse. He hung on the rope until he died since the others were unable to bring him to the surface. Further details are given in Himavanta of December 1984 and February 1985 but as its editor explains there are serious doubts as to exactly what happened.