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IAS officer Aparna Kumar successfully scaled the highest peak (17,000 feet high), Mount Vinson Massif, in the Antarctica sub-continent, particularly becoming the first ever women officer from All India Civil Services to accomplish so.
A 2002 batch Cadre, Aparna started her expedition on 5th of January along with 10 other mountaineers belonging to different countries and achieved the commendable feat on 17th of January where she hoisted the flag of India and of the Uttar Pradesh Police Service.
The passionate and fearless officer, currently posted as DIG (Telecom) in Lucknow, has already claimed her victorious expedition on 5 out of 7 summits following her exhilarating endeavor.
Following is the list of peaks officer has scaled.
- Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the highest peak of Africa.
- Carstensz Pyramid peak in West Papuan province of Indonesia, the highest peak in Australia and Oceania region.
- Mount Aconcagua in South America.
- Mount Elbrus in Russia
Owing to tackle the draconian icy winds speeding 100km/hr and combating temperatures as low as -35 degree Celsius, Aparna is recovering frost bites and will be returning back to home ground by 5 February. Suffering from frostbite, having lost over six kilos and being aloof from any communication, Kumar still gathered her strength as she climbed the peak, reported The Times of India.
In March 2015, she was acclaimed the blue-ribbon Rani Lakshmi Bai Puraskar by UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav for her achievements and for being an epitome of bravery. She was also honored with the special DGPCommendation Disc on eve of the Republic Day this year.
Matriculated at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports in Manali, in October 2013 for a month long course, she also completed the advanced course in 2014. And there is no stopping by as she now plans to ascend Mount Everest in April-May and Mount McKinley in Alaska in July-August.
The Logical Indian community congratulates Aparna Kumar for achieving this feat and wish her best of luck for her next target of scaling Mount Everest.