Arunachal's Tashi Yangjom Becomes First Indian Woman Climber To Scale Everest In 2021

Tashi Yangjom holds the title of the first Indian woman climber to scale Mount Everest in 2021. She began the climb on May 9 and completed her journey on May 11, reaching the peak early 6 am.

She is among the first in India to kick off climbing season this year in the face of a deadly wave of coronavirus obstructing sporting activities. Earlier this month, panic gripped the Everest base camp as reports of a possible COVID-19 outbreak there emerged. Authorities in Nepal raised the alarm about as many as 17 positive cases, as per the BBC. 

Tashi Yangjom And Other Women Mountaineering Feat

Tashi Yangjom is from Arunachal Pradesh and trained at the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) in Dirang, one of India's leading adventure sport institutes. NIMAS congratulated their alumna on Twitter, also acknowledging Arunachal CM Pema Khandu for his support: "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."

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju too lauded Yangjom for her feat saying, "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."

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

On May 12, two mountaineers - Baljeet Kaur of Himachal Pradesh and Gunbala Sharma of Rajasthan - became the first women and also the first Indians to summit Mount Pumori, a mountain part of the Everest Massif, located in Nepal. They are members of a 12-member team that seeks to summit all four peaks of the mountain group.

President of Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) retired Brigadier Ashok Abbey recognised they were the "first Indian women to scale one of the toughest peaks in the Everest Massif in Nepal." More Indian women mountaineers to know about.