King Albert Gold Medal for Indian Mountaineer Harish Kapadia

For Immediate Release
Mumbai August 25, 2006

The King Albert I Memorial Foundation will present the Golden King Albert Mountain Award to acclaimed Indian mountaineer Harish Kapadia for his outstanding explorations in the Himalaya and literary achievements on the subject of mountain sport.

King Albert I Gold Medal recognises his well-written books which give readers an insight into the personal feelings experienced in the face of danger and death, aid in imagining the motivation behind a passion for the desolate and harsh world of high mountain peaks. He has also been involved in working for the Peace Park on the war-torn Siachen Glacier since the death of his son Lt. Nawang Kapadia of the Indian Army who was killed while fighting terrorists in Kashmir.

Harish Kapadia is the first Indian to receive this Gold Medal, a high honour in the field of adventure. He has been climbing and exploring the Himalaya since last 40 years and has visited most part of the range. He has written more than 15 books on his travels and about the aspects of the Himalayan regions. Harish has been presented with the with the Patron’s Medal of the Royal Geographical Society (UK) by the British Monarchy and Tenzing Norgay Life Time Achievement Award for Adventure by the President of India. He is an Honorary member of the Alpine Club, London and the American Alpine Club, USA.

The citation for the award to Harish Kapadia states:

Harish Kapadia, born in India, on 11th July 1945, Mountaineer, Explorer and Writer with a degree in Commerce, Law and Management from Mumbai University, received worldwide recognition for his long-standing commitment to geographical explorations in the Himalaya and Eastern Karakoram.

By promoting awareness of the unknown valleys, its history and people and by drawing attention of the trekking and mountaineering world to the beauty of their peaks, he has made a unique contribution to the development of trekking and mountaineering
in the Himalaya and the Karakoram.

Harish Kapadia participated in more than 25 expeditions, frequently as their leader, and published 15 books and, in addition, a large number of articles and papers on his experiences. Since 1978 he is Honorary Editor of the prestigious Himalayan Journal and Himalayan Club Newsletter.

About the King Albert I Memorial Foundation

The King Albert I Memorial Foundation, registered in Zurich, was founded by Walter Amstutz in 1993 in honour of the Belgian King Albert I (1875-1934), a great alpinist and fervent mountain climber. The foundation’s aim is to honour individuals or institutions which, through their efforts in any area pertaining to the mountain regions of the world, have made outstanding and lasting achievements.

The Foundation, which honours the Belgian King Albert I who died while climbing in 1934, has presented King Albert Mountain Awards in the past to some of the leading personalities in field of adventure. The first award was presented to Lord John Hunt in 1994. Since then, the award which is presented every two years, was given to Bradford Washburn and Dr Charles Houston, both from USA, Shiro Shirahata, renowned mountain photographer from Japan, geologist Professor Augusto Gansser from Switzerland, Wanda Rutkiewicz, a mountaineer from Poland and Stephen Venables , author and climber from England.


For more information :

King Albert Memorial : www.king-albert.ch
Harish Kapadia : www.harishkapadia.com