Baljeet Kaur, Gunbala Sharma Become First Indian Women Mountaineers to Summit Mount Pumori Of Everest Massif

Women mountaineers, one from Himachal Pradesh and the other from Rajasthan have become the first Indian women to summit the 7,161 metres high Mount Pumori in Nepal on Wednesday. The two women are also the first ones to scale a mountain that is a part of the Everest Massif.

A massif is a group of mountains. Mount Everest is part of a massif together with Lhotse and Nuptse.

The two women dared the raging pandemic to achieve the extraordinary feat. They followed strict COVID-19 protocols throughout their expedition.

The two mountaineers are Baljeet Kaur from Solan, Himachal Pradesh, and Gunbala Sharma from Rajasthan. The two are part of a 12-member team that is on a mission to scale Mt Nuptse (7,862 metres), Mt Pumori (7,161m), Mt Lhotse (8,516m) and Mt Everest (8,848.86m), the four peaks which form the Everest Massif.

Baljeet Kaur reached the peak of Mt Pumori at 8.40 am on Wednesday, followed by Gunbala Sharma, who also summited the peak soon, reported The Indian Express.

"Baljeet Kaur and Gunbala Sharma are the first Indian ladies to scale one of the most difficult peaks in the Everest Massif in Nepal. Earlier on May 10, two Indian male mountaineers, Hem Raj and Stanzin Norboo had scaled Mt Pumori along with four sherpas. All 12 participants of our group observed strict Covid-19 protocols whilst staying in Nepal," said Brigadier Ashok Abbey (Rtd), President of Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), Delhi.

According to the IMF, the 12-member team had divided the expedition into three camps at 5,700 metres, at 6,200 metres, and at 6,480 metres en route to the peak.

The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju, had flagged off The Everest Massif expedition in Delhi on March 27.

A member of the IMF said that the expedition would last for two months. If successful, this would be the first such attempt by Indian mountaineers. Apart from that, the team will also assist in Nepal's effort of cleaning the Upper Khumbu Glacier and the Western Cwm, which located in the shadow of the Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse.

The 12 members taking part in the expedition are Manita Pradhan, Manish Kashniyal, Skalzang Rigzin, Nawab M Khan, Shanti Rai, Stanzen Youthog, Savita Kanswal, Hem Raj, Stanzin Norboo, Gunbala Sharma, Baljeet Kaur and Stanzen Desal. Dr Chetna Joshi is the Expedition Doctor. Brig Krishan Kumar (retd), an experienced mountaineer and a senior IMF member, is accompanying the expedition team as a mentor.