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Time of India

A Super Cop On 4 Peaks Of Glory

1 2 Nagpur: What's common in Mount Everest (8,848.86m), Mount Makalu (8,485m), Mount Manaslu (8,163m), and Mount Lhotse (8,516m)? These snow-clad peaks are the landmarks that define the grit, perseverance and passion for mountaineering in assistant police inspector (API) Shivaji Nanaware, who is probably the only Indian police personnel to have achieved the feat of scaling these four over 8,000 metres tall mountains. "Mountains at a point detach you from everything else. No cell phone network, none to speak, it's only the mountain and you. You discover yourself in such solitude," says Nanaware, 39, who is posted at Nagpur city police crime branch's social security unit. According to Nanaware, he hasn't come across another cop in India who has scaled four mountains above 8,000 metres. Eyeing the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award for mountaineering, Nanaware was on par with a Himachal Pradesh woman cop, who had climbed three mountains above 8,000 metres, until he scaled Mount Lhotse. A poor farm labourer-turned-police officer hailing from Kondhej, a small village in Solapur district, Nanaware has always strived to overcome adversity. The more than 300 rewards and many detections under his belt are testament to his abilities. Born on October 8, 1985, into a Warkari family with modest means, Nanaware grew up tending to his family's five-acre rain-dependent farm. His early life was defined by toil — working on others' fields to make ends meet. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Balintawak : SUV Clearance Sale, Click Here To See Prices SUV Deals | Search Ads Search Now Undo Yet, his resolve to rise above his circumstances led him to pursue education at Bharat High School in Jeur. In 2005, he joined the Maharashtra police as a constable in Pune. Driven by ambition, he cleared the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exam in 2013 to become a police sub-inspector. Nanaware's tenure in the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district, where he trekked rugged terrains with the Special Operations Squad, enhanced his endurance and earned him over 200 awards, including the Director General of Police's insignia. "Two Mongolian mountaineers who were scaling Everest with us perished in the expedition, but I endured with my fitness. I work on my fitness a lot," he says. His exemplary investigations, such as cracking a high-profile jewellery heist in rural Pune, also earned him accolades. His passion for mountaineering was ignited in the Sahyadri ranges during his posting in rural Pune. He honed his skills trekking historic forts from Salher to Panhala. In 2020, he reached the summit of Kang Yatse II (6,250m) in Leh-Ladakh, followed by an A-grade mountaineering course at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute in Manali in 2021. Though an attempt on Mount Nun (7,135m) failed due to bad weather, it only fuelled his determination. In 2023, Nanaware reached the peak of Mount Everest on May 17 after a 39-day expedition, becoming the first from Solapur to achieve the feat. His village welcomed him as a hero. He scaled Mount Makalu on May 30, 2024, braving 55 days of harsh conditions, and Mount Manaslu on September 24, 2024. His crowning achievement came on May 23, 2025, with Mount Lhotse, navigating challenges akin to Everest's treacherous routes. Nanaware's feats, accomplished as the sole Indian in international climbing teams, earned him accolades from Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and brought laurels for the state police. Nanaware says his support system played a pivotal role — batchmates from his constable and sub-inspector days, friends, and village community rallied behind him. Nagpur city commissioner of police Ravinder Kumar Singal provided crucial support, helping Nanaware scale three peaks in a year. Deputy commissioner Rahul Maknikar and assistant commissioner Abhijeet Patil also backed his endeavours. Adding a heart-warming dimension, Nanaware's nine-year-old daughter Devyani has followed in his footsteps, becoming probably one of India's youngest to reach Everest Base Camp (5,364m) at age nine. While his wife, Chhaya, initially knew little about mountaineering, Devyani's confidence in her father's strength reassured the family during his expeditions. "My daughter would tell my wife, 'Don't worry, Papa is strong, nothing will happen to him'," Nanaware recalls. "A small village doesn't limit your dreams; a big heart does the job," he says, urging youth to shun addiction and embrace challenges. Nanaware's journey proves that with determination, even the highest peaks are conquerable. He has a secret motivation to scale higher-and-higher. "If I ever meet God, I can proudly tell Him about having stepped onto the highest peak in the world created by Him," he says.