BHUBANESWAR: Etching a new milestone in mountaineering and adventure sports in Odisha, five women members of an 11-member mountaineering team from the state successfully scaled the 20,100-feet Mount Yunam in Himachal Pradesh and hoisted the National Flag on the occasion of 80th Independence Day on Saturday.
The team had started its expedition on August 7, under the guidance of Everest summiteer Ganesh Jena and leadership of Anita Swain, with the goal of scaling Mount Yunam.
Despite the challenging Himalayan terrain, extreme altitude and adverse conditions, the mountaineers demonstrated strong determination, discipline and teamwork. Three other members of the team also reached very close to the summit but could not complete the final ascent due to illness. Finally on Saturday, on the occasion of Independence Day, four members of the team successfully unfurled the 80-metre-long Tricolour at the summit of Mount Yunam.
Team leader Anita Swain said, “Mount Yunam is not merely a mountain summit for us, it is a symbol of the courage, confidence and determination of the women of Odisha. Completing the expedition with zero accidents is a matter of great pride for us.”
Jena, editor of Asha and an Everest summiteer, said extensive training, fitness, endurance and acclimatisation to high altitude were the key factors behind the achievement.
Shubhashish Tripathy, managing director of Sanket Communications, said this achievement is an inspiring example of women’s empowerment, courage, patriotism and determination. “These women have taken the pride of Odisha to the heights of the Himalayas,” he said.
Haresh Kumar Mishra, vice-president of Asha, said, “The success of the Mount Yunam expedition marks the beginning of a new chapter in Odisha’s adventure sports sector. In particular, it will inspire women and the younger generations to go beyond their limits and dream big.”