Articles / Special

By Felix Anthony

Itanagar, 14 June 2021 : Abraham Tagit Sorang became the youngest mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh to scale Mt Everest.

The 24 year-old Sorang returned home on Sunday 13 June, having achieved the feat on 31 May at 8.25am.

“It did not come easy” said Sorang, a native of Sepaha village of Kra-Daadi district. “It took four years to begin my climb. Among the many other factors, financial constraints almost stopped my journey.

Thanking the Arunachal Pradesh Catholic Association (APCA), Sorang said, “Had it not been for APCA, my journey to Mt. Everest would not have even started. They began a crowdfunding campaign through their whatsapp group to help me with the required funds. Some helped with hundreds and some thousands. And I took some personal loan to meet the expense”, says Sorang, a parishioner of St. Mary’s Church, Itanagar.

Expressing his feelings on the feat, Sorang said, “I feel very proud and a sense of achievement overwhelms me. I have been blessed by prayerful support of people across the state and the powerful protection of Mother Mary.”

In a gesture of gratitude, upon reaching the peak, the youngster perched on the snow the statue of Mother Mary he had carried with him and put a rosary around it and thanked her for her support.

Appreciating Sorang, Bishop John Thomas of Itanagar Diocese said, “He is a model for every young person. Though from a remote village, he was not defined by his milieu. He strove to excel and Everest was the target he set for himself. May he inspire the young people of Arunachal Pradesh, beset by unfavourable situations, to search for higher peaks on their path to success”.

Sorang is the 14th Arunachalee and the first from the Nyishi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh.

Governor Brig (Retd) BD Mishra, Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Union Minister and MP from Arunachal Pradesh Kiren Rijiju have all congratulated Sorang for his achievement.

“My heartiest congratulations to Shri Abraham Tagit Sorang on successfully scaling Mt Everest and also becoming the second mountaineer from Arunachal after Ms. Tashi Yangjom to climb the world’s highest peak this season”, tweeted the CM.

Taking to his social media page, the Union Minister of State of Youth Affairs and MP from West Arunachal, Kiren Rijiju, said the young mountaineer of Arunachal Pradesh has made India proud. “My best wishes for him on his future endeavours”, he posted with a photo of Sorang.

Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao Diocese too expressed appreciation for Sorang. “May young people, who easily give up their pursuit of excellence, blaming poverty and other factors, must look at Sorang, who from a very ordinary family, could climb the highest peak on earth. Sky is the limit for those with determination”, said the Bishop from east Arunachal Pradesh.

Sorang hopes that his feat will inspire the Government to take up many measures to boost adventure tourism in the State. “There are many peaks Arunachal Pradesh still not scaled, like the Kangto Peak. With adventure tourism many unemployed youth can earn a living as guide, porter or even as organizers of trekking in the State”, says Sorang.

Felix Anthony is Correspondent from Arunachal Pradesh