Meet Bachendri Pal, First Indian Woman To Climb Mt. Everest, Hails From A Working Class Family

Bachendri Pal, popularly known as the ‘Queen of Hills’, made history back in 1984, when she conquered the Earth’s highest mountain above sea level, Mt. Everest. For the unversed, on May 23, 1984, Bachendri Pal became the first Indian woman to reach Mt. Everest. At the mere age of 12, she started mountain climbing. Being a great dreamer, Bachendri was the first girl in her village to become a graduate.

After her retirement from Tata Steel, Bachendri launched Fit@50+ to empower over 50 women in order to prove that fitness or adventure has no gender. Back in 1984, Bachendri received the fourth-highest civilian award, Padma Shri. She also received the Padma Bhushan award in 2019. Read on to learn more about the ‘Queen of Hills’.

Bachendri Pal’s early life and educational qualifications

Bachendri was born on May 24, 1954, to a Bhotiya family in Naukri village, Uttarakhand. She was one of the five children of Kishan Singh Pal and Hansa Devi. Bachendri’s father was a tradesman who supplied groceries from Tibet to India. Hailing from a working-class family, her parents always gave more importance to her brothers. In fact, Bachendri’s parents also thought that girls had to get married sooner or later.

However, Bachendri had some adventurous dreams since childhood. She was quite bright and was the first girl in her village to be a graduate. At the mere age of 12, Bachendri went to a school picnic, where she, along with her friends, scaled a 13,123-foot-high peak. She completed her Master's degree and B.Ed from DAV Post Graduate College, Dehradun.

Bachendri Pal did a course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering

Since her childhood days, Bachendri has had a dream of climbing the mountains. In a past interview with YourStory in their HerStory section, the 70-year-old Bachendri shared how a chance encounter with the then-principal of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) changed her life. Bachendri recalled while she completed her post-graduation and B.Ed, she was searching for jobs when she met the then NIM’s principal. She shared how NIM’s principal motivated her to join the institute. In 1982, during her course in NIM, Bachendri became the first woman to ascend the Mt. Gangotri and Mount Rudragaria in 1982.

Bachendri Pal became the first Indian woman to conquer the Mt. Everest in 1984

Back in 1984, when India planned its fourth expedition to Mt. Everest, Bachendri was one of the members of a group of eleven men and six women mountaineers who were to be selected. For the unversed, she was selected by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and confirmed through a letter to be part of the team. The team began climbing the mountain in May 1984. However, on the night of May 15-May 16, 1984, an avalanche hits their camp. While over half of the team members decided to step back, the strong-headed Bachendri continued her journey.

On May 22, 1984, Ang Dorje Sherpa and a small group of mountaineers joined the then-29-year-old, Bachendri. The new team continued its ascent on May 23, 1984, at 6:20 a.m. Bachendri was the only woman in the new team. Around 1:07 p.m. on May 23, 1984, Bachendri, with the team members, reached the summit of Mt. Everest. She conquered the highest peak on the day before her 30th birthday and became the first Indian woman to climb Mt. Everest.

Do you know an interesting fact surrounding Bachendri Pal’s conquer of Mt. Everest?

On May 23, 1984, Bachendri hoisted the Indian flag on Mt. Everest. But do you know that she reached the highest peak just six days before the 31st anniversary of the first ascension of Mt. Everest? For the unversed, on May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first people to climb Mt. Everest. As per records, the duo reached the summit at 11:30 in the morning on May 29, 1953.

Bachendri Pal’s achievements

In 1984, Bachendri was awarded a gold medal for Excellence in Mountaineering by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation. In the same year, she received the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India. She won multiple accolades, such as the Gold Medal from the Department of Education by the Uttar Pradesh government in 1985, the Arjuna Award in 1986, the National Adventure Award in 1994, and many more. In 2019, Bachendri also received the Padma Bhushan, the fourth-highest civilian award in India, from the then-president, Ram Nath Kovind. She is also listed in the 1990 Guinness Book of World Records for being the first Indian woman to conquer Mt. Everest.

Bachendri Pal is a true inspiration for those who dare to dream high. Congratulations to India's first woman to climb Mt. Everest on completing 41 years of the glorifying moment that made every Indian proud.

Also Read: Meet Retd. Major General GD Bakshi, A Fearless 'Desh Bhakt', Lost Brother In 1965 Indo-Pak War

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