Arun Samant

Arun was a good friend and we trekked together many years in late 1960s. He was an engineer and IIT graduate. Very pleasant person and good at work. He drew many maps in the Himalayan Club book. He was involved in HC in administration as Treasurer and Secretary for a while. In 1970 he joined our expedition to Bethartoli Himal. It is in the Outer Sanctuary of Nanda Devi. Ours was fit young team with very experienced Sherpas led by Ang Kami. Kami was prince of Sherpas.

As we built up finally it came to stage when we had to divide for two peaks Bethartoli Himal I and II, both adjoining but divided by a valley. I went with Prof Desai and we climbed Peak II, just 20 feet lower than peak I,

Arun was with Peak I team led by Ang Kami, highly experienced Pasang Temba Sherpa, two Sherpa porters and Nitin Patel, a young IIT first class first student, from Saurashtra. A day before they stared Arun fell in a crevasse and Kami pulled him out. Simple enough but was it a precursor of things to come?

Next day we separated half way and the   team for Bethartoli Himal  main peak  established themselves in camp in middle of an icefall at foot of peak I. We returned to lower camp after climbing my peak.

 A major storm started. This storm killed two climbers also in the  lower valley. Kami and team had discussions they had only two days of store of food. Experienced Temba said that they should wait, even hungry. Young Ang Kami said no let’s push out. They all -six of them- tied on one rope and Kami remained free, putting up his carabiner in between where he is helping. A major avalanche hit them. With 6 persons on a rope- Nos.- 1-3-5 were killed! Providence? And Ang Kami as he was free, helping all  and moving around, also died.

Arun was hanging, head down and heel up in a crevasse and he was tied to Pasang Temba. With sheer strength Pasang pulled him up. Tied his legs and carefully and gently dragged him with head on snow. He went for 2 hours till he reached the camp  and alerted us. We went up searched for 3 days. Only Nitin Patel’s body was found.

In 1987 we had explored a mountain named Gya (6794 m). Stupendous high and challenging mountain. It had two satellite peaks in one ridge line. We could not climb this, but it became a most desirable objective to all mountaineers in India- foreigners were not allowed here. Arun was excited about it and we gave him all information with a warning that this peak is not for easy climbing. In the meantime, two army teams attempted the peak and failed. In 1993 IMF organised a major expedition to Gya from north, Ladakh side, led by Motup Chewang and organised very professionally.

Arun also planned to attempt Gya  at the same time. They climbed high on the ridge. Arun decided to climb quickly. With one of the members in his team he followed the ridge and reached the peak—but the lower  peak. From top he could see main and true peak of Gya far away and much higher. That disappointment perhaps contributed to his collapse as he had no water or food. They descended, and the younger companion may have pulled him to camp and safety but he could not.  He left Arun below the summit hump and he just managed to reach camp and survived.

IMF team was observing these movements. So next day four  strong Sherpas reached their camp and were sent to place where Arun was left. After two nights in open he was dead.  They carried  his body, to base camp. ITBP then took it Chumar and where he was cremated. A monument to him stands there.

India lost a good mountaineer, the Himalaya Club lost a good member  and many of us lost a good friend.