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International Mountain Day: Pune-based Giripremi to conduct conclave, exhibition on glaciers

The conclave on the future of glaciers, the impacts of climate change, and possible solutions will be held at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.

2 min readPuneDec 10, 2025 07:46 PM IST

Zirpe said that every year, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) announces a special theme to celebrate International Mountain Day.

Girpremi, a city-based mountaineering organisation, is organising a conclave on the future of glaciers, the impacts of climate change, and possible solutions on December 11 at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.

The conclave titled ‘Melting Giants: A Wake-Up Call for Our Generation’ is being held as part of International Mountain Day, which falls on December 11. Geologist Prof (Dr) Nitin Karmalkar, former Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University, is the chief guest of the event, which focuses on mountain protection, glacier conservation, and environmental awareness.

“This year has been declared the International Year of Glacier Preservation, and the theme is ‘The Role of Glaciers in Mountain Ecosystems for Water, Food, and Livelihoods’. Due to the increasing impact of climate change, glaciers across the world are melting rapidly. Against this backdrop, Giripremi aims to raise public awareness through a conclave and exhibition titled ‘Frozen Lifelines’,” said Umesh Zirpe, leader of Giripremi 8000er Expeditions.

Zirpe said that every year, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) announces a special theme to celebrate International Mountain Day.

The English edition of ‘Shikharratna Kangchenjunga’ — a book co-authored by Umesh Zirpe and Bhushan Harshe about the successful 2019 expedition to Mount Kanchenjunga, India’s highest peak — will also be released on the occasion.

The keynote address will be delivered by Krishnanand J, a researcher in Glaciology at IISER, Pune. Dr Avinash Kandekar, professor at Savitribai Phule Pune University and veteran mountaineer, Prachi Shevgaonkar, founder and CEO of the Cool the Globe app will be present on the occasion.

The winners of the recently held Glacier Photography Competition to instill appreciation for glaciers will be felicitated on the occasion. The competition received an overwhelming response, with over a hundred entries from across India, organisers said.

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The exhibition titled ‘Frozen Lifelines’ will be held on December 13 and 14. “This immersive exhibition will showcase the ecological, geographical, and social significance of glaciers worldwide, highlighting how they serve as vital water sources for billions of people,” he added.

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