At 5,289 metres above sea level, ice walls hemmed in at intimidating angles. Gusts of chilly wind blew across the snowy expanse of Friendship Peak at Pir Panjal range in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. K G Aumkar Nath, a 41-year-old Preventive Officer with Alappuzha Excise Enforcement and Anti-Narcotics Special Squad, knew he was almost there.
He was the only Malayali in the 10-member team, which was on an expedition to the Friendship Peak. The final stretch, a 10-hour-long punishing ascent up the steep slope at midnight, could test the limits. He was already pushing his lungs. The COVID-19 had messed it up three years ago. He had recovered and trained hard for this moment. The cold wind pierced his body, and it seemed like his whole self was shaking. His eyes were heavy, head was splitting with pain, the snowy mountain seemed to swirl around him, all he wanted was to lie down somewhere and sleep – classic signs of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). He was conscious about what was setting in. He had to find a way to cope with it. The summit was still 50 metres away.
The 10-member team was reduced to two – Aumkar and Bhushan from Delhi. They pushed themselves harder. They stopped exactly 15 metres below the summit, adhering to a custom that their leaders strictly follow — 'We don’t stand on the peak of a mountain'. Aumkar caught his breath, let the moment sink in and proudly planted the flags of the Kerala Excise Department and the Vimukthi mission, an anti-drug and alcohol awareness campaign.
"It doesn’t matter who made it or who didn’t. The success of one is a victory for the entire team," Aumkar told Onmanorama from Delhi.
The job was only half done. During the descent, they realised that the path they had climbed no longer existed as the ice had melted, forming new routes. “We relied on rappelling, sliding down controlled ropes to navigate the ice walls safely,” he said.
It all began with his fascination for an ice-axe badge on a fellow NCC cadet’s uniform. Aumkar wanted to earn the badge himself, but life had different plans. After completing a degree in English literature from Cherthala NSS College, he joined the Excise Department.
It wasn’t until 2013 that fate brought him closer to his dream. At a marathon in Kochi, he met a retired Navy official who introduced him to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi (NIM), Uttarakhand, a premier institution for adventure sports run by the Defence Ministry. "The courses are mainly for military personnel, but civilians can also apply. After waiting for one and a half years, I completed the 28-day basic mountaineering course, followed by the advanced course a year later," he said.
Aumkar, along with his batch-mate Vishal Thakur, who owns the trekking company called Heaven Riders India, planned an expedition to Friendship Peak in the Pir Panjal range, Kullu region, Himachal Pradesh. The weather was harsh, but eight months of rigorous training had prepared him.
It wasn't easy for him. A severe COVID-19 infection left him battling a host of health issues, including lung damage. "For six months, I was on medication, and I gained a lot of weight," Aumkar said. With help from his colleague, Ramshi, he focused on fitness, gradually regaining his strength. Family also stood by him to maintain diet and mental wellness. This commitment to health, combined with his adventurous spirit, set him on course to achieve his lifelong dream. He even indulged in paragliding the day after his Himalayan hike, fulfilling his passion for adventure.
When Aumkar shared his expedition plans with his colleagues and superiors in the Excise Department, they embraced the idea, linking it to the Vimukthi campaign, which encourages youth to choose adventure over substance abuse. Alappuzha Excise Deputy Commissioner P K Jayaraj handed Aumkar the department's flag, which he proudly took to the summit. "The support from my colleagues was priceless. They stood by me every step of the way," Aumkar said.
Aumkar believes that adventure can offer the same dopamine rush that drugs and alcohol give. He has actively conducted awareness programs under the Vimukthi banner, inspiring youth to live life to the fullest without falling into destructive habits.
At the heart of Aumkar’s success is his family, especially his sister, Chithra, who first ignited his love for the Himalayas by gifting him MG Ramachandran's book 'Uttarakhandiloode'. His wife, Mamata, a school teacher, and their two children, Aryan and Devi Parvathy, have been his pillars of support. "They worry, of course, but they always say, 'Go where you want, but come back safe.'" Aumkar’s son, Aryan, a class 10 student, often accompanies him to the gym. "Posing for pictures with me at the gym is something he likes a lot," Aumkar said.
