Indian Mountaineer Umesh Zirpe Honored with Sahyadri Ratna Award

Indian mountaineer Umesh Zirpe recently received the prestigious Sahyadri Ratna award in Nashik. This honor recognizes his incredible contributions to mountaineering over more than three decades. The award ceremony, held on Sunday, was attended by notable personalities like Milind Gunaji, Dr. Vijay Suryawanshi (IAS), and Advocate Nitin Thakare.

The Sahyadri Ratna award is presented by the Sahyamitra Foundation to celebrate the memory of the late Avinash Joshi. For the past three years, the foundation has been organizing the Sahyadri Mitra conference in Nashik. This event is a hub for mountaineering and rock climbing enthusiasts, featuring photography exhibitions, talks by experts, interviews, and panel discussions. A key part of the conference is recognizing individuals and groups who have made significant impacts in these adventurous fields. This year, Umesh Zirpe was the deserving recipient of the Sahyadri Ratna 2025 award.

Umesh Zirpe is a highly respected figure in the mountaineering community. He is the founder and director of the Guardian Giripremi Mountaineering Institute, a well-known Pune-based club, and the Giripremi Adventure Foundation. His impressive career spans over 35 years, during which he has gained extensive experience exploring both the Sahyadri and Himalayan mountain ranges. Zirpe is particularly famous for successfully climbing eight of the world’s fourteen highest peaks (known as “eight-thousanders”), including the iconic Mount Everest.

Beyond the Sahyadri Ratna, Zirpe has also been honored with other major awards, including the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award in 2023 and the Shiv Chhatrapati Award in 2014. These accolades further highlight his dedication and achievements in the challenging world of mountaineering. Zirpe’s commitment and achievements continue to inspire countless mountaineers, adventure seekers, and admirers of history across the state.

Image: umeshzirpe.in