– College students from hills make up first all-girl team of NCC to conquer the highest peak
Darjeeling :
The first all-girl team of the National Cadet Corps to Mount Everest, which included two college students from Darjeeling, has successfully climbed the world’s tallest peak.
Trishala Gurung and Sulaxchana Tamang, who study at Southfield College and Ghoom Degree College in Darjeeling, respectively, were among the 10 girls to be selected from across the country to be part of the NCC team to scale the highest peak.
Speaking over the phone from Delhi, Lt. Col. Umang Kohli, additional director publicity, NCC (headquarters), said: “It is confirmed that the first all-girl team of the NCC has successfully climbed Mount Everest. They were part of a 19-member group which reached the summit. The NCC team has done us proud.”
The expedition team consisted of 10 NCC girls selected from across the country and 15 officers. Of the total 25 members, five, including the team doctor, were to stay at the base camp. “Of the 20 members, who were to climb the peak, 19, including 11 girls, have succeeded,” said Lt. Col. Kohli.
Only one NCC team member could not reach the top.
Om Prakash Tamang, father of Sulaxchana, 21, said: “My daughter called me around 7am today. She had just returned to the base camp. She said the team had successfully climbed Mount Everest. We are very happy.”
According to Om Prakash, Sulaxchana was part of the first batch to climb the summit.
Ganesh Gurung, father of Trishala, 22, said she had called him this evening to confirm the success of the team.
Lt. Col. Kohli said the team had climbed the peak in two batches on May 21 and 22.
Preparation for the expedition by the NCC team had started more than a year back. In November 2014, 100 girls from across the country had been selected for training at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling.
After completing a nearly one-month training, 40 girls were shortlisted in February 2015. “The 40 girls were then taken to climb Mount Deo Tibba (19,688ft) in Himachal Pradesh. After the 41-day expedition, 15 girls were selected for another expedition,” said Ganesh.
Between August and October 2015, the 15 girls were taken to an expedition to Mount Trishul (23,353ft) in Uttarakhand. After 50 days of that expedition, 10 girls were selected to scale Mount Everest.
The team led by Col. Gaurav Karki was flagged off in Delhi on March 9.
Mountaineer in Siliguri hospital
Chetna Sahu from Calcutta, who developed frostbites while descending from the summit of Mount Everest, has been admitted to a private nursing home in Siliguri. She climbed the peak, along with her husband Pradip.
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph,Calcutta,India / Front Page> North Bengal> Story / Vivek Chhetri / Wednesday – May 25th, 2016