Ujire mountaineer scales 7,077-metre Mount Kun, hoists Tulu Nadu flag

Ujire mountaineer scales 7,077-metre Mount Kun, hoists Tulu Nadu flag

Mangalore Today News Network

Belthangady, Sep 13, 2026: Pradeep Babu Shetty of Ujire has scaled Mount Kun, a 7,077-metre peak in Ladakh, and hoisted the Tulu Nadu flag at its summit, bringing pride to the region.

Pradeep, the youngest of Babu Shetty and Girija Shetty’s three children, developed an interest in trekking at an early age and later pursued mountaineering. He underwent physical conditioning and specialised training and completed several mountaineering courses.

Currently employed with NMC, Pradeep continues to pursue mountaineering alongside his profession.

Before conquering Mount Kun, he had scaled several high-altitude peaks, including Mount Lobuche (6,119 m), Island Peak (6,189 m), Mera Peak (6,476 m), Mount Ama Dablam (6,812 m) and Mount Yunam (6,111 m). He has also climbed Kang Yatse-I and Kang Yatse-II.

Located in the Zanskar range of the Greater Himalayas near the India-China border, Mount Kun presents severe challenges, including extreme cold, low oxygen levels, difficult terrain and unpredictable weather.

Coming from coastal Karnataka, acclimatising to the high-altitude conditions was an additional challenge. Pradeep travelled to Ladakh ahead of the expedition to prepare his body for the demanding environment before gradually ascending to the summit.

“Proper training and high-quality safety equipment are extremely essential for snow mountaineering. Conditions can become very dangerous, but determination to achieve the goal helps one overcome the challenges,” Pradeep said.