KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: Swarnalata Dalai from Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur district successfully scaled Mount Everest yesterday. With this, she became the seventh Odia to scale the Mt. Everest.
The 20-year-old tribal girl, who began her mountaineering quest in 2015, made it to the top of the world along with co-mountaineers Poonam and Sandeep Toliya. The mountaineering event was organised by Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF).
She was selected to scale the Mt. Everest after she successfully completed few other expeditions like the Roopkund Trek in Garhwal, one of the toughest treks and the Indian Women’s Gokyo – Everest Grand Circle Expedition.
As a part of the training under Biju Patnaik Expedition the mountaineers were imparted three short courses – in Darjeeling for 23 days, and Panchalingeswar, Odisha for 17 days. The third programme was conducted under the guidance of Bachendri Pal, the first woman to climb Mount Everest.
Ahead of scaling the Mount Everest, Swarnalata and her co-mountaineers undertook an expedition to Mt. Aconcagua, highest peak in South America, and other training at Garhwal Himalaya in February this year.
Congratulating the TSAF cadets on this remarkable feat, Sunil Bhaskaran, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel said, “It’s a great achievement by the trekkers which showcases their indomitable spirit, zeal and grit. We at Tata Steel are proud to have been able to support them to realize their dreams. TSAF, through this unique endeavour, will continue to promote the adventure sports in the country.”
Swarnalata’s first official mountaineering stint came in 2016, when she took part in the Biju Patnaik Himalayan Expedition held in association with TSAF. She was one of the mountaineers who had participated in Mt. Rudugaira Expedition.
Kalinga AI