NO MOUNTAIN TOO HIGH

3rd Sergeant (3SG) (NS) Ashik Ashokan and 2nd Sergeant (2SG) (NS) Ashok Kumar aim to conquer a Himalayan mountain range without the help of any guide. And it's all for a good cause.

In the coming weeks, if you see two youths, with huge backpacks on their backs, racing up and down the stairs of an HDB block, cheer them on. They are training to do something insane - in the name of charity.

In the last week of May, 3SG (NS) Ashik and 2SG (NS) Ashok will attempt to trek up a Himalayan mountain range without any porter or guide.

Over 21 days, they will navigate their way through the 220km Annapurna Circuit to reach Thorong La, a summit pass that stands at 17, 769 feet (5,416m). The circuit in Nepal is one of the world s toughest, with harsh winds, snowy conditions, and temperatures that could go as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius.

The duo is doing this to raise funds and awareness for the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD), which helps people with disabilities in Singapore to lead independent lives.

"What we want to say is that what these people go through in their daily lives is as difficult as or more difficult than climbing a mountain," said 3SG (NS) Ashik, a Communications and New Media student at the National University of Singapore. "These guys are literally climbing 'mountains' each day."

As part of their project, they volunteer at the SPD weekly, and have set up a Facebook page to tell the stories of the disabled. Their target is to raise $17,769 - which corresponds to the altitude of the summit point. To date, they have raised $27,000 from corporate companies and the public.

The duo, who were schoolmates in Innova Junior College, had come up with the idea after completing an unguided trek to Poon Hill in Nepal last year on a shoe-string budget of only $800 each, including airfare. Their experience was reported in Tamil Murasu, a Tamil newspaper, and on Indian Beat, a Tamil television programme.

"We realised that if we could do this one more time, on a bigger scale, maybe we can get more publicity and channel it to a good cause," said 2SG (NS) Ashok, a Business Management student in UniSIM.

Overcoming rejections

For them, the fundraising project itself was a mountain of struggle. They were turned away by more than 300 companies. "We approached many companies but no one believed in us," said 2SG (NS) Ashok.

Fortunately, they had the support of the local mountaineering community, notably Dr Kumaran Rasappan, the first Singapore-born Indian to reach the summit of Mount Everest in a 2012 fundraising climb.

"(We were just) two 23-year-old guys with no experience at all, who say they want to climb this mountain and raise $17,000, so no one paid attention. But Dr Kumaran came to us, spoke to us, taught us how to approach companies, and offered to train us," 3SG (NS) Ashik recounted.

The duo persevered, and the turning point came when StarHub and Red Bull came on board. The former has matched their donation drive dollar for dollar up to $10,000, while the latter is sponsoring their expedition.

Handy military training

A challenge that they will face is navigating while their judgment is affected by the low level of oxygen at high altitudes. Furthermore, their destination is not a distinct mountain peak, but a summit pass that is a vast expanse of snow the size of eight football fields.

"You can easily get lost in the snow because everything looks the same," said 3SG (NS) Ashik. "That's when Ashok's navigation skills will come in."

2SG (NS) Ashok, a platoon sergeant in 901st Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment, was the natural choice as navigator. A Silver Bayonet recipient, he had obtained valuable experience in navigation exercises overseas during his Specialist Cadet Course.

The pair also risk altitude sickness (which could lead to death) if they advance too fast, before their bodies get used to the thin air. 3SG (NS) Ashik will be relying on his experience as a logistics planner during his full-time National Service (NS) to plan for proper acclimatisation stops.

"The main lesson I learnt from the army is how exactly you plan; you need to plan down to the smallest detail," said 3SG (NS) Ashik, a section commander in Headquarters Guards.

Despite the risks, being able to make a difference is what drives them on. They have this message for the youth: When you are young and full of energy, you should use it for a good cause.

"It's not necessary to climb a mountain, run a marathon or bungee jump for a cause, but you can just do something worthwhile for the community," said 3SG (NS) Ashik.

"What (the disabled) go through in their daily lives is as difficult or more difficult than climbing a mountain. These guys are literally climbing 'mountains' each day."
- 3SG (NS) Ashik on their motivation for the climb

To make a donation, visit heart2climb.com.