Kolkata, Jun 23 (IANS): Veteran rock climber and mountaineer Gautam Kanjilal died of a lung infection at a city hospital here. He was 69.

Kanjilal, popularly known as Kanji among the mountaineering fraternity, is survived by his wife and a son.

An engineer by profession and a member of city-based Himalayan Association mountaineering club, Kanjilal began his outward bound activities way back in 1970 when he attended a rock climbing course organised by the Association in Srshunia Hills.

Subsequently, he underwent mountaineering training at Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling and took part in the expedition to hitherto unclimbed Sudarshan Parvat in Garhwal Himalaya organised by Himalayan Association in 1978.

He also acted as instructor and course commandant in various rock climbing and adventure courses till a few years back.

A keen rock climber, Kanjilal explored quite a few rock routes in the hills of Bankura and Purulia districts.

The most notable among those is a rock route in Sushunia Hills known as "Kanjimal" which he pioneered along with three other rock climbers during late 1970's.