NIM, Uttarkashi
The Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM India) in Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand is an institute that was established on November 14, 1965.The institute was formed to honor the great desire of President Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.
Nehru Institute of Mountaineering was first proposed by the Ministry of Defence, the Government of India, and the Government of Uttar Pradesh in 1964. The institute is built in Uttarkashi because it is close to the Gangotri region in Western Garhwali, which has good climbing and training potential in India.
In August 2022, the institute hosted the national sports climbing championship.
On the morning of 4 October 2022, a team of 41 climbers from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering attempting Draupadi Ka Danda II were hit by an avalanche a few hundred meters below the summit. It was a team of 34 advance mountaineering course trainees and 7 instructors. The dead bodies of twenty-seven were recovered during rescue operations, and two mountaineers could not be found.
Uttarkashi, meaning Kashi of the north, is a town located in Uttarkashi district in Uttarakhand, India. Uttarkashi town is headquarters of the district. Uttarkashi is also known as Somya Kashi. Uttarkashi is a Hindu religious place for spiritual and adventurous tourism. Uttarkashi town is also called as Shivnagri. The town has number of temples and ashrams. Uttarkashi is known for its religious people, weather, education.
Uttarkashi is situated on the banks of river Bhagirathi at an altitude of 1158 m above sea level. Uttarkashi is generally known as a holy town close to Rishikesh. It is located in the state of Uttarakhand in India. Uttarkashi is home to a number of ashrams and temples and also to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. The name of the town reflects its similarity to and location (as north of) the city of Kashi (Varanasi). Similar to Varanasi, town of Uttarkashi is situated on the Ganges, lies next to a hill named Varunavat, on confluence of two rivers Varuna and Asi, has a ghat called Manikarnika Ghat and has a temple dedicated to Shiva similar to (Kashi Vishwanath Temple) in Varanasi, in the center of the town.
Uttarkashi is located at 30.73°N 78.45°E. It has an average elevation of 1,165 metres (3,822 ft). Most of the terrain is hilly. There are many small and big rivers in Uttarkashi district. The Yamuna and the Ganges (Bhagirathi) are biggest and holiest (for Hindus) among them. The Yamuna originates from Yamunotri while Bhagirathi originates from Gangotri (Gomukh). Asi ganga and Jad ganga are some of the tributaries of the Ganges.
As of 2001 India census, Uttarkashi city had a population of 40,220. Males constitute 57% of the population and females 43%. Uttarkashi has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. Male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 71%. In Uttarkashi, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. Most citizens of Uttarkashi are Garhwali, with large numbers of Punjabi, Kumaoni and people from other parts of Northern India. It also has a significant population of the Bhotiya Jadh people.
People of Uttarkashi speak Hindi, Garhwali and Mahasu Pahari.
After Varunawat Landslide in 2003, the rate of increase in population of the town was affected due to the migration of people to other towns and cities. As the time passed, the town boomed with the development and population growth. But the town was again severely affected by the disastrous floods in 2012 and 2013. This made most of the people to shift to the safer places like Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh.
Savita Kanswal was an Indian mountaineer hailing from Uttarakhand. She is the first Indian woman to conquer both Mount Everest and Makalu within 16 days. She died in an avalanche accident on October 4, 2022. In January 2024, she posthumously received the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award, the highest honor in adventure sports in India.
