Arunachal Mountaineer Is First Indian Woman To Scale Everest This Year

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated Tashi Yangjom on Saturday for successfully scaling Mt Everest and becoming the first Indian woman climber to summit the world's highest peak this year.

From Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh, she was trained at the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) in the village. The ninth climber from the institute to scale Mt Everest, the 37-year-old reached the peak on May 11, showing the world what human determination can achieve even during a pandemic. The minister also shared a photographs of Ms Yangjom at the Everest peak with the Indian flag, and at the base camp.

I extend my heartiest congratulations to Ms Tashi Yangjom from Arunachal Pradesh for scaling Mt. Everest & becoming the first Indian woman climber to Everest in 2021.
She was trained at National Institute of Mountaineering & Allied Sports (NIMAS) in Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/ToD39KHyxL

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) May 15, 2021

In a congratulatory message, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said regular training at the Dirang institute has made her “a strong mountaineer with blitzkrieg speed”. And the official Twitter handle of the government of Arunachal Pradesh said Ms Yangjom is the ninth instructor from NIMAS to scale the peak in three years.

Congratulations Ms Tashi Yangjom for scaling Mt. Everest and becoming the first Indian lady climber to Summit Everest this Season.
Regular Training at @DirangNimas has made her a strong mountaineer with blitzkrieg speed.
She becomes the ninth climber from NIMAS to scale Everest. pic.twitter.com/jVUwpLzNBV

— Pema Khandu པདྨ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་། (@PemaKhanduBJP) May 13, 2021

Tashi Yangjom, an instructor at the #NIMAS in #Dirang #ArunachalPradesh scaled #MtEverest on 11th May. She is the 9th instructor from #NIMAS to have climbed the world's highest peak in 3 years, informed NIMAS Director Col Sarfraz Singh.
Congratulations Tashi Yangjom. pic.twitter.com/aNrpVTnFqY

— MyGov Arunachal Pradesh (@MyGovArunachal) May 14, 2021

Several others, including NIMAS, also send their congratulations to the mountaineer.

Congratulations to Ms Tashi Yangjom for being the first Indian climber to scale Mt Everest this season on 11 May 2021.Our sincere thanks to Honourable CM Shiri Pema Khandu ji for always supporting NIMAS and young energetic climbers.The nation is proud of Ms Tashis's recent feat. https://t.co/OF2bkPNPTa

— NIMAS DIRANG (@DirangNimas) May 14, 2021

WoW many many Congratulations to Ms Tashi Yangjom ???????????????????????????????? Proud to be an Indian & Proud to be an Arunachali Jai Hind ????????

— rajj kc (@rajj297) May 15, 2021

This is indeed a great achievement. Kudos to you for promoting sports, adventure, and providing training infrastructure in far flung places like Dirang.

— SSP (@TheThinkngBrain) May 15, 2021

Spread over a 52-acre campus (currently being built) in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, NIMAS describes itself as India's first adventure institute in the field of land, air and aqua. It provides specialized training in mountain rescue, mountaineering and adventure sports.

Mount Everest, the Earth's highest mountain above sea level, has an elevation of 8,849 metres and breathing is difficult at high altitudes. Tashi Yangjom's tremendous feat has come nearly two weeks after reports said that the COVID-19 infection has reached the Mt Everest base camp in Nepal and multiple climbers have tested positive for the virus. The process to evacuate hundreds of climbers, including foreigners, camped there has been ok.

More than 400 expedition permits were issued for Mount Everest this year after the 2020 climbing season was cancelled due to the pandemic.