By Felix Anthony

Itanagar: The youngest mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh to scale Mount Everest now thanks a Catholic association for his achievement.

“Had it not been for APCA [Arunachal Pradesh Catholic Association], my journey to Mount Everest would not have even started,” Abraham Tagit Sorang, a resident of Sepaha village of Kra-Daadi district, told Matters India.

The 24 year-old returned home on June 13, to be applauded by the political and religious leaders of the northeastern Indian state. He achieved the feat at 8:25 am on May 31.

“It did not come easy. It took four years to begin my climb. Among the many other factors, financial constrain almost stopped my journey,” Sorang said.

He said the Catholic association began a crowd funding campaign through their WhatsApp group to help him with the required funds. “Some helped with hundred and some thousands. And I took some personal loan to meet the expense,” said the parishioner of St. Mary’s Church, Itanagar.

Expressing his feeling 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.”

The statue of Mother Mary atop Mount Everest
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 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 unfavorable situations, to search for higher peaks on their path to success.”

Sorang is the 14th person from Arunachal and the first from Nyishi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh to climb Mount Everest.

Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra, Chief Minister Pema Khandu and federal Minister and Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh Kiren Rijiju have all congratulated Sorang for his achievement.

“My heartiest congratulations to (Sorang) on successfully scaling Mount Everest and also becoming the second mountaineer from Arunachal after Tashi Yangjom to climb the world’s highest peak this season,” the chief minister tweeted.

Abraham Tagit Sorang promoting plastic free world atop Mount Everest
Taking to his social media page, Minister Rijiju said the young mountaineer of Arunachal Pradesh has made India proud. “My best wishes for him on his future endeavors,” he posted with a photo of Sorang.

Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao appreciated 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 eastern Arunachal Pradesh.

Sorang hopes 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,” he added.