Indian Army on Friday bestowed Sena Medal award upon Jharkhand boy, Lt Col Jay Prakash Kumar, a native resident of Phusro area of Bokaro during an Investiture Ceremony held at Bareilly based Central Command of Indian Army for his outstanding contribution in the field of adventure sports and for climbing Mt Everest in 2019.

Notably Col Kumar while returning from the summit after his successful mission to Everest, got badly injured and frost bitten, but he never lost hope while negotiating through difficult terrain, snow clad glaciers and sub-zero temperature.

He who had recently also been awarded by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Govt of India with “Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020, a highest civilian award given in the field of adventure sports in his 16 years of long career since 2005,.

Kumar has served at various operational areas and has brought immense laurels to the state.. Kumar who received primary education from Phusro, completed 10+2 from Sainik School Tilaiya and graduated from Magadh University in 2003 before joining Indian Army in 2005 gave the credit of his achievement to his father Dayanand Prasad and mother Ramkali Devi.

The conferment of the award of Sena Medal to Lt Col Jay Prakash Kumar was announced on the eve of Republic Day on January 26, 2021 but because of COVID-19 restrictions and govt regulations, the investiture ceremony was delayed and was finally held at Bareilly on during the day wherein he received the award from Lt Gen Yogendra Dimri, AVSM, VSM, Army Commander Central Command.

Kumar said, “Mountaineering is a high risk adventure activity and only those who pursue hard work and patience, can achieve the desired goal of reaching the summit”. Col Kumar has an ambition to climb Mt Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain peak of the world, in coming year and then later, open a climbing school for young boys & girls of his home state Jharkhand.