Naming Arunachal peak after the sixth Dalai Lama is ‘illegal, null and void’, says China

By naming the peak after Rigzen Tsangyang Gyatso, NIMAS aimed to pay tribute to his “timeless wisdom and his profound contributions to the Monpa community,” a defence spokesperson said.

Reacting to the naming of a mountain peak in Arunachal Pradesh by a mountaineering team after the sixth Dalai Lama, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was “illegal, and null and void for India to set up the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ in Chinese territory.”

On Wednesday, the defence spokesperson in Guwahati announced the successful summit of a previously unnamed and unclimbed mountain peak located at 20,942 feet in Gorichen range of Arunachal Pradesh Himalayas on Tawang-West Kameng region.

“After overcoming immense challenges including sheer ice walls, treacherous crevasses, and a 2-kilometer-long glacier, the team has immortalized the momentous feat by naming the peak Tsangyang Gyatso Peak in honour of His Holiness the 6th Dalai Lama Rigzen Tsangyang Gyatso,” the spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.

The accomplishment was achieved by a team from the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS). By naming this peak after him, NIMAS aims to pay tribute to his “timeless wisdom and his profound contributions to the Monpa community and beyond,” the spokesperson said.

Responding to a question at a press conference, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “The area of Zangnan is Chinese territory, and it’s illegal, and null and void for India to set up the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ in Chinese territory. China’s position on this issue is consistent and clear.”

NIMAS, which has been at the forefront of adventure and mountaineering in India, has informed the Indian Mountaineering Foundation about the ascent and the decision to name the peak, the defence spokesperson said, “The necessary formalities for naming the peak are being completed to ensure that ‘Tsangyang Gyatso Peak’ is recognised on the official map.”

Published - September 27, 2024 03:13 pm IST