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I want to inspire young ones, says Tashi Yangjom, the first Indian woman climber to scale Mt Everest in 2021
The 27-year-old from Lubrang village in Dirang tehsil of West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh is elated with joy on becoming the first Indian woman to scale the peak in 2021
The pandemic could only delay, not dissuade Tashi Yangjom. The 27-year-old saw five years of practice bear fruit as she scaled Mt Everest, becoming the first Indian woman to climb the peak in 2021. She scaled the famed peak by 6am on May 11, completing the mission she had started on April 4.
And accolades poured in for the climber from Lubrang village in Dirang tehsil of West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh. Among those who congratulated her were Union sports minister Kiren Rijiju, who tweeted: “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…”
“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,” wrote chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu in his congratulatory tweet.
Ever since Yangjom joined the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) located in Dirang in 2016, where she’s now an instructor, she aspired to climb the peak. The target, set for last year, was delayed by the pandemic. “Main bohot khush hun. I always wanted to wave the Indian flag at the top and I’m very thankful for the support and financial aid I received,” says Yangjom, now stuck in Kathmandu where she reached after her climb, due to travel restrictions.
Recalling her journey, she credits her persistent training and motivation from other trainers that kept pushing her. “Before joining, I didn’t know much about adventure earlier. I got the inspiration from instructors, and I understood the guidelines better. Main ek bohot chote pahadi area se hun, so not many people know about adventure or mountaineering here,” says Yangjom who is from the Brokpa, a yak herding tribe, as she also credits her childhood hill treks and persistence of instructors at NIMAS for her feat.
She also adds, “I want to set an example and make path for young ones to get started and inspire them.”
The love and appreciation received from her family after achieving this victory is beyond belief to her as Yangjom states that her parents were apprehensive of letting her choose mountaineering as a profession earlier. “Ek saal laga mummy papa ko convince karne mein kyunki they were scared of the consequences. Bohot dangerous laga unhe sun ke continuously glacier mein jaana hota hai.”
She also expresses her view on Nepal’s recent appeal to Everest climbers to bring empty oxygen tanks from the peak. She says, “It all depends on the climber’s strength and sherpa’s assistance kyunki itna height pe ek water bottle uthani ki energy bhi nahi bachti hai. Par shayad dono mil ke kar sakte hai.”
Yangjom is now aiming to create more records such as climbing Mt Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world and participating in Seven Summits.
Author tweets @sanchita_kalra.
