Haryana man’s Everest claim in question

Naba Kumar Phukon, who was the leader of the 14-member Everest expedition in 2016 with whom Yadav climbed, also said that photos of Yadav standing atop Everest are fake

After Indian mountaineers alleged that a mountaineer who was named for Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020 last week had faked his claim of summiting Everest, Norgay’s son Jamling Tenzing Norgay has written to the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) — the apex national body for mountaineering and allied sport—to look into the matter. The mountaineer in question is Narender Yadav, a 24-year-old fitness instructor from Rewari, Haryana, who has claimed that he summited Everest in 2016.

The Hindustan Times on Friday morning highlighted that Yadav’s Everest claim was under cloud over a ‘morphed’ photo.

Naba Kumar Phukon, who was the leader of the 14-member Everest expedition in 2016 with whom Yadav climbed, also said that photos of Yadav standing atop Everest are fake. “Yadav’s summit claim was false and he photoshopped his picture on top of Everest to validate his claim,” Phukon said. “I was the leader of the expedition and he was part of the team. He never made the summit. He had frostbite and he, along with another mountaineer, had to be rescued.”

Phukon, who works with the Assam Sports Department, added, “regarding Yadav’s false Everest claim I was contacted by Jamling, who himself is an accomplished mountaineer. I narrated to him the sequence of what actually happened on the expedition. Because of insufficient stock of oxygen, Yadav’s Sherpa advised him not to proceed further. He was in a nervous state and being a team leader, the Sherpa informed me about the complex situation. After discussion, I advised Yadav not to go to the summit. Later, I went for the summit and on the way back to Camp 2, I met Yadav. At that time another member of the team, Debasish Biswas of Kolkata, was helping Yadav as he was suffering from frostbite on his toes on both legs.”

Jamling, who lives in Bhutan, said he has reported the matter to the IMF. Yadav did not reply to phone calls and text messages.