Ex-C60 commando conquers Dhaulagiri

Nagpur: A former C-60 commando who served in Gadchiroli, assistant police inspector Shivaji Nanaware has scaled the formidable Dhaulagiri peak (8,167 metres), the seventh-highest mountain in the world. He reached the summit on April 18, becoming probably the first Indian police officer to conquer this treacherous Himalayan mountain in Nepal.Nanaware, in his 40s, is currently posted in the Social Security Branch (SSB) of crime branch. He completed the challenging ascent in 32 days amid extreme weather conditions, including heavy snowfall, blizzards and unpredictable high winds, bringing laurels to Nagpur, Maharashtra police. Experts describe Dhaulagiri as one of the most dangerous peaks due to its unstable snow, technical ice climbing requirements and extreme cold reaching minus 40 degrees Celsius. "Known for frequent avalanches and ‘Death Zone' challenges above 8,000 metres, Dhaulagiri has claimed many lives due to its steep ice walls, crevasses and whiteout conditions," he said.Earlier, Nanaware scaled Mount Everest (8,848.86 m) on May 17, 2023; Lhotse (8,516 m) on May 23, 2025; Makalu (8,485 m) on May 30, 2024; and Manaslu (8,163 m) on Sept 24, 2024, making him probably the only police officer in the country to achieve this extraordinary distinction.A native of Maharashtra, Nanaware joined the police force as a constable in 2005. In 2012, he cleared Maharashtra Public Service Commission exam and was selected as police sub-inspector. His first posting was in the Special Action Team in Gadchiroli, where his passion for mountaineering took wings while serving in the challenging Naxal-affected terrain. What started as an interest soon turned into a mission of pushing human limits.