Kyang Thang རྐྱང་ཐང་ Profile picture
Roams the Tibetan plateau. Representative of the mighty tableland's fauna and landscapes. Loves mountains, maps and wildlife
XIX Kalinga Profile picture 1 subscribed
Oct 16, 2022 9 tweets 4 min read
1) The Chinese Kugrang road of 2014

In May 2014, taking advantage of a govt. change in India & a diversion caused by the Chumur stand-off, PLA in the Gogra sector pulled off a provocative move that remains unreported today.

We spent weeks trying to figure out what happened. 🧵 Maps depicting the event should be considered as an OSINT in 2) Right on the heels of a regime change in India, PLA launch a lightning quick road building initiative during Aug-Oct 2014. This one was different.

It was the first time PLA decided to build a road into undisputed Indian territory; largely unreported due to Chumur standoff.
Jun 15, 2022 7 tweets 3 min read
1) Best elevation tools? Suggestions please.

i- Google Earth DEM
ii- Topo maps
iii- ICESat-2 OpenAltimetry: Laser-based profiling openaltimetry.org/data/icesat2/ 2) Putting to test the age old question: Highest village in India- Korzok vs Komic

Google Earth DEM:
Jun 13, 2022 5 tweets 3 min read
Not sure if such plantations really benefit Changthang, they could even turn out detrimental.

I would rather suggest projects focusing on restoration of pastures & increasing desertification. Over the years, I've seen how badly pastures have degraded; especially since 2016. Image 2) They are among the last generations of Drokpa/ Changpa nomads left. Many younger Drokpa left for places like Leh, Choglamsar to engage in daily wage work but couldn't cope up with the new lifestyle for they lacked skill & faced societal pressures. Image
Apr 12, 2022 4 tweets 2 min read
1) Anti-tank missile HELINA's high-altitude trials in Ladakh took place in Mandalthang, merely 8 kms from Galwan post right next to the LAC. 2) Filmed at: 34°40'59.81"N, 78°10'44.32"E, the view is looking NW up Shukpa Kunchang, a tributary of the Shyok.

Image overlay: @NatureDesai
Jan 17, 2022 4 tweets 2 min read
1) Tibetan Mastiff (འདོགས་ཁྱི, Do Khyi) watches over the flock at Tso Moriri. One of my earliest pictures of Ladakh from 2011.

One needs to go high on the plateau to the nomads to feel their awesome power. This is a true working line dog, with a very high prey drive. 2) These on the other hand are a joke of Tibetan Mastiffs. Chinese pet industry has completely destroyed this breed.

One is supposed to feel the power, intelligence & respect for these dogs & not like an obese asthma patient.
Nov 20, 2021 22 tweets 10 min read
[Long thread]
1) McMahon Line: What it actually means

When Henry McMahon drew a line across the map in the Eastern Himalaya in 1914, little did he know the storm he brew. India claims this as the legal border to-date & China vehemently opposes it.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMahon_L… 2) In this thread, I post some of my observations as to what it actually means & point out some cartographic inaccuracies that still continue to plague India's official maps today.

In short, I argue how McMahon is essentially a watershed line & what India should claim.
Jan 3, 2021 9 tweets 4 min read


[Geo-location thread]

@HiddenRoots6 and I point to various locations in this video of PLA's highest observation post at 5592 m in the Naku La sector, Gamba County in Shigatse.

Shoutout to @1n_mts_v_trust for the video lead. Read on.... We start our first visuals from possibly the large base with trenches, bunkers, armoured vehicles and much more: 28° 9'20.02"N, 88°36'26.46"E

sznews.com/news/content/2…