Remembering Bachendri Pal on Her Birth Anniversary

On May 24, 1954, the great mountaineer Bachendri Pal was born. Bachendri Pal is known all over the world for being the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in 1984. She was born in Uttarakhand and started mountain climbing at the young age of 12. From an early age she started training to be a professional mountaineer. 

In 1984, she joined India’s first mixed gender team for Mt. Everest expedition. During the journey, they faced a heavy snowstorm. Due to this, many members of the team had to return. Bachendri Pal was one of the remaining mountaineers who continued the journey. On May 23, 1984, she became the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest and made history.

Bachendri Pal also led many all-women teams in several fields such as mountaineering and river rafting. In 1984, she was honored with the Padma Shri award which is the fourth highest civilian award in India.