2023 has been the year for Rinku Singh. After a stellar IPL season for Kolkata Knight Riders, where he proved his worth as a T20 batter, Rinku was slotted into the Indian team and subsequently into the T20 World Cup plans as well after he continued playing his attacking brand of cricket even on the international stage. Such has been the sublime form of Rinku that even the legendary Sunil Gavaskar had nothing but absolute praise for India’s new T20 sensation. Having made his debut in the Ireland series in August, Rinku, who plays the role of a finisher in T20 cricket, scored 180 runs in 86 balls across six innings. 105 of those runs came in the recently-concluded series against Australia at home, where he scored at a strike rate of 175, with 13 boundaries and four sixes. Speaking to Star Sports on the sidelines of the washed out opening T20I game between India and South Africa in Durban, Gavaskar admitted that Rinku might not be one of those exceptionally gifted cricketers, but it has been his belief and consistency that made him crack into the Indian team. “Talent – it’s not given to everybody. You can love the game. You can play all day, but sometimes you know you might not quite have the talent, but he has the belief that he could do it, and that’s what he’s done over the last 2-3 years. Again here in the IPL, he was in and out of a lot of teams when he finally got the opportunity and the way he grabbed it (was amazing),” Gavaskar said. With Rinku already being compared to the legendary Yuvraj Singh amid his stellar form, Gavaskar believes at even if the youngster can emulate a fraction of what the two-time World Cup winner achieved, it would be wonderful for Indian cricket. “And now he’s part of an India team. And now there’s so much, so many high expectations of them. They are now expecting him to be another Yuvraj Singh. Rinku Singh – Yuvraj Singh. So if you can do even a fraction of what Yuvraj did for Indian cricket, then he will have done wonderfully well,” the former India captain said. India will play their second T20I game against South Africa on Tuesday in Port Elizabeth.

Home to 15% of the world’s population, mountains host around half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. The International Mountain Day is observed to promote a healthy development in the mountains and preserve the wildlife of the region. The day aims to raise awareness on preserving the biodiversity on the mountains from pollution, over-exploitation as well as climate change.

Theme

“Restoring Mountain Ecosystems” is the theme for this year. It is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of mountain ecosystems and to advocate for nature-based solutions, best practices, and investments that build resilience, reduce vulnerability, and increase mountains’ ability to adapt to daily threats and extreme climatic events.

This International Mountain Day, let’s take a look at the top mountains in India that you can climb:

Valley of Flowers Trek (Uttarakhand)

Valley of Flowers is one of the most popular treks in India as the destination unfolds a world of ethereal beauty. This blissful and adventurous trek is located in Uttarakhand and has a total track distance of 37 km.

The trek ends up to one of the highest gurdwaras in the country, Gurdwara Shri Hemkund Sahib by the pristine Hemkund Lake.

Hampta Pass Trek (Himachal Pradesh)

Hampta Pass Trek is a must-do trek for adventure enthusiasts. It is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The Hampta Pass trek unfolds to the Himalayan beauty with a trekking distance of 26 km. The journey of trekking to Hampta Pass starts from the popular hill station, Manali.

Kedarkantha Peak Trek (Uttarakhand)

Those who wish to witness the charm of a Himalayan winter, can climb on to the Kedarkantha Peak Trek located in Uttarakhand. With a trek distance of 20 km, Kedarkantha Peak serves the climbers with the experience of pine forests, snow covered mountain views and a 360-degree view of the Himalayan Range.

Mamostong Kangri Peak (Ladakh)

Mamostong Kangri is yet another mountain peak located in Ladakh and is situated close to the Siachen Glacier. Mamostong Kangri Peak has a total trek distance of 22 km.

Tarsar Marsar Trek (Jammu and Kashmir)

Tarsar Marsar trek showcases the beauty of the Kashmir Valley. The trek takes the climber on a captivating journey from Tarsar Lake to Marsar Lake and on to Sundersar. It stretches for a distance of 48 km.

Sandakphu Trek (West Bengal)

Sandakphu is the highest point in the state of West Bengal which presents a unique sight of a series of mountains. The trek is also one of the longest out of many other adventurous tracks to climb on. Sandakphu Trek has a total stretch of 68 km.

Goechala Trek (Sikkim)

Goechala Trek is a wonderful blend of challenge and beauty located in Sikkim. It serves snowy meadows, meandering rivers, and also a glimpse into the Sikkimese culture. The total stretch of the trek is 90 km.

Bali Pass (Uttarakhand)

One of the challenging treks in the Himalayan range is Bali Pass which marks an unforgettable adventure for the mountain climbers. The trek on Bali Pass allows the climbers to pass through historical villages and serene lakes. It has a 60 km trek distance in Uttarakhand.