COLONEL NEERAJ RANA (RETD)
of Mt Makalu to Hon`ble Minister of State for Defence
I, Colonel Neeraj Rana, was commissioned to the Armoured corp. of the Indian Army in 1989. An avid mountaineer, I have 25 peaks to my credit of which one has been a Leader on 20 occasions and twice as Deputy Leader, which includes three 8000 mtrs and above peaks viz, Kanchenjunga 8586 mtrs and Makalu 8463 mtrs and Mt Everest 8850 mtrs. I have served as the Vice Principal, Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand for 3 years and was the training officer wherein I trained more than 3000 trainees. I have served as the Principal of the most renowned Mountaineering Institute of the world, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling for 5 years. I am also an avid micro-light flyer and have more than 160 hours of flying to my credit. I also specialize in Para motors and Paragliding and have more than 1000 hrs of flying experience to my credit.
I am the only person in the World to have flown on a Paraglider from a height of 6850 meters from the fifth highest peak in the world Mt Makalu and landed at 5700 meters; which is a world record and the same was achieved without supplementary Oxygen. The flight lasted for 18 minutes.
The Limca Book of Records has recognized the feat for this achievement. I also fly Para Motors and I am an Instructor for Paragliding and Para Motors and solo pilot in Micro lights. I have also represented India in Pre-World Cup of Paragliding in 2004 have been a technical Advisor for the government of Himachal Pradesh for the Pre-world cup 2008. I also indulge in white water Rafting and have rafted on the Ganges, Teesta and Bhagirath. One has trekked extensively in most part of the Himalayas. One has a extensive experience in driving ATVs and Motor cross in the Deserts. An accomplished Paratrooper as well. Trained the first Indian school boys of Lawrence School and as Leader made them climb Mt Everest as Leader.
| S. No. | Courses | Grading |
| (a) | Basic Mountaineering Course | ‘A’ |
| (b) | Advance Mountaineering Course | ‘A’ |
| (c) | Search &Rescue Course | ‘A’ |
| (d) | Method of Instruction Course | ‘A’ |
| (e) | Para Motors | ‘Qualified Instructor’ |
| (f) | Para Gliding | ‘Qualified Instructor’ |
| (g) | Microlight Aircraft | ‘Solo Pilot’ |
| (h) | White Water Rafting | ‘Qualified Instructor’ |
| (i) | Scuba Diving | ‘Qualified Instructor’ |
APPOINTMENTS HELD
| Vice Principal | Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi | 02Yrs10 months |
| Offg Principal | Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi | 10 months |
| GSOI Land &Coord | Army Adventure Wing, Dte Gen of Mil Trg, GS Branch, IHQ of Mod (Army), New Delhi | 1 Year |
| Principal | Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling | 5 Years |
| Director | Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports Manali | Mar 2019 till date |
MOUNTAINEERING AND OTHER EXPEDITIONS :
| Sr. No. | Peaks | Remarks |
| 1. | Mt. Bhagirathi – II | Member |
| 2. | Mt. Kanchenjunga | Member |
| 3. | Mt. Draupadi-ka-Danda | Leader |
| 4. | Mt. Baby Shivling | Leader |
| 5. | Mt. Kedar Dome | Leader |
| 6. | Black Peak | Leader |
| 7. | Mt. SwargaRohini – III | Leader |
| 8. | Mt. SwargaRohini – II | Leader |
| 9. | Mt. Thelu | Leader |
| 10. | Mt. Koteshwar | Leader |
| 11. | Mt. Chaukhamba – III | Dy. Leader |
| 12. | Mt. Chaukhamba – IV | Dy. Leader |
| 13. | Mt. Kedar Dome | Member |
| 14. | Mt. Col-de-Marde (French Alps) | Member |
| 15. | Mt. Chaukhamba (Retrieval Mission) | Leader |
| 16. | Mt. Chaukhamba (Retrieval Mission) | Leader |
| 17. | Mt. Gangotri – I (Pre Makalu Expedition) | Leader |
| 18. | Mt. Makalu (First Indian Successful Assent) | Leader |
| 19. | Mt Everest HMI Darjeeling | Leader |
| 20. | Mt Everest First Indian School Boys Successful Assent Sanawar 2013 | Leader |
| 21. | Indus International School BangloreExpdn to Yunam Peak 2015 | Leader |
| 22. | New Public School Chandigarh Trek 3 nights 2016 | Leader |
| 23. | Indus International Bangalore Mt Kilimanjaro Africa 2016 | Leader |
| 24. | Indus International School MT Elbrus Russia 2017 | Leader |
| 25. | Indus Bangalore Mt Fuji Japan 2018 | Leader |
| 26. | Indian Open Paragliding championship 2018 | Safety Director |
| 27. | World Rafting Championship Turkey 2019 | Coach/5th Playing member |
| 28. | First White Water River Beas Expedition 2019 (World Record) | Leader |
WORLD RECORD HOLDER
Flew down on a Para glider from Mt Makalu 8463 mtrs fifth highest peak in the world from 6850 mtrs Camp 2 to Advance Base Camp 5300 mtrs without suplemantery oxygen becoming the First Indian in the world to achieve this feat in 2009.
HONOURS & AWARDS
• Honored by Lawerence School Sanawar for putting 06 School boys on top of Mt Everest
• Felicitated by National Geographic Channel for ‘Mission Everest’
• Awarded Chief of Army Staff Commendation for first ascent of ‘Draupadi-ka-Danda.
• Limca book of records 2011 For Flying a Paraglider from Mt Makalu fifth highest mountain the world .
SEMINARS ATTENDED
• Union of International Alpine Association UIAA selected to represent India inFrance.
• CII Seminar at Mussorie represented Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.
• GB/EC Italy. Got HMI Darjeeling affiliated to UIAA.
SPECIAL TRAINING IMPARTED
• Trained Tajikistan Army Persons – 2003
• Trained Army Everest lady officers’ team 2004-2005.
• Trained Lawrence school Sanawar boys for Everest 2013 (Made 2 world records and 01 Indian Record)
TREKKING ACTIVITIES
• As Vice Principal & Training Officer NIM, Uttarkashi the officer has trekked almost every part of Garhwal Himalayan and part of Eastern Himalayas. The officer has also trekked in Zanskar Himalayas, French Alps,Russia and Japan
• As Principal the officer has trekked extensively in Sikkim Himalayas and also in world famous Singalila Range several times and also in Eastern Nepal Himalayas.
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
• The officer has successfully led a Search & Rescue operation in Garhwal Himalayas retrieving six members of a trekking team in 2003.
• Participated in Army team of Paragliding for Pre World Cup Qualifiers 2004.
• Maiden Paragliding flight with 16 launches in 36 Sector Sumdo at 11000 ft.
• Para glided from 6850 mtrs in adverse weather conditions to 5300 mtr thus becoming the first Indian in the world to have flown down on Mt. Makalu.
• Has led the retrieval mission of 05 dead Army pers from Mount Chaukhamba twice in the Garhwal Himalayas in 2006 and 2007.
• Has flown in Spiti valley from 14500 feet at Kaza 02 launches from a Para glider.
• Has been the technical member for HP State for the Pre-World cup Para gliding championships 2008.
• Safety Director for Indian Open Paragliding Championship 2018 Bir H.P.
• Super Biker rides a Triumph Tiger XR 800,now rides a BMW 1200 GS Rally.
•Just finished 5347 Kms of Motor cycle ride from Palampur to Goa for the IBW week 2016.
• Finished riding Bir Udaipur and back 2017.
• Finished riding Chandigarh Jaiselmar 2018.
• Finished Riding Chandigarh to Bhutan and Back for 3460 Kms.2018.