India’s elite NSG “Black Cats” team successfully summits Mount Everest in a rapid 20-day expedition, showcasing extraordinary endurance, discipline, and India-Nepal cooperation while conducting medical and environmental support activities during the historic Everest mission.
A remarkable achievement in high-altitude mountaineering has brought global attention to India’s elite National Security Guard (NSG), as a specially trained team from the force successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest. The mission highlighted exceptional endurance, discipline, and teamwork under some of the harshest conditions on Earth.
The expedition team, popularly known as the “Black Cats,” completed the summit push early Saturday morning. According to expedition organiser Seven Summit Treks, the climbers reached the top of the world’s highest mountain at 3:26 a.m. after an intense and carefully coordinated ascent.
The successful summit team included Major Akhilesh Bhatt, Bavinder Singh, Bhoopendra Singh, Pankaj Singh Dosad, Rahul Singh, Ravinder Singh, Satish Kumar, Sonu, Sulinder Singh, and Suresh Kumar. Out of the 16-member expedition group, 12 climbers attempted the final ascent, while 10 successfully stood atop Mount Everest.
Expedition officials confirmed that all climbers safely descended from the summit and returned to Everest Base Camp by Saturday evening. The organisers described the expedition as an extraordinary accomplishment because the team completed the entire Everest mission in just 20 days after departing from Kathmandu. Such a short timeline is considered highly challenging in Himalayan mountaineering due to acclimatisation requirements and unpredictable weather conditions.
The NSG Everest Expedition 2026 was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ram Chandra Thapa, while Major Akhilesh Bhatt served as the climbing leader. Veteran mountaineer Mingma Thinduk Sherpa led the Sherpa support team as expedition sirdar. The mission was supported by 16 experienced Nepali Sherpa guides, whose technical expertise and high-altitude support played a critical role in ensuring the climbers’ safety and success.
According to the expedition company, the mission demonstrated the NSG’s operational discipline and physical resilience beyond its traditional counter-terrorism responsibilities. Established in 1984, the NSG is widely recognised as India’s premier rapid-response and counter-terrorism force, trained for some of the country’s most difficult security operations.
Officials stated that the Everest mission also reflected the organisation’s motto, “Best Security Everywhere,” through a display of determination, precision, and teamwork in one of the most demanding natural environments in the world.
Beyond the summit achievement, the expedition carried out humanitarian and environmental activities during the journey. Team members operated a medical assistance camp at Everest Base Camp and participated in garbage clean-up campaigns aimed at preserving the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. Environmental concerns on Everest have increased in recent years due to the growing number of climbers and waste accumulation on the mountain.
NSG Director General Brighu Srinivasan, an Indian Police Service officer, had formally flagged off the expedition before its departure. The mission has since been praised as a symbol of courage and international cooperation, especially highlighting the close partnership between Indian climbers and Nepali Sherpas.
Tourism authorities in Nepal reported that 61 Indian climbers had obtained Everest permits by mid-May this year. Overall, Nepal issued permits to 492 foreign climbers for the current Everest season, marking the highest number ever recorded for a spring climbing season.
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Despite challenges such as increased royalty fees and international flight disruptions linked to tensions in West Asia, Mount Everest continues to attract adventurers and elite climbers from across the globe. The successful NSG expedition now stands as one of the notable achievements of the 2026 climbing season, reflecting both human endurance and the spirit of international friendship in the Himalayas.
