A first: Kashmiri woman Nahida scales Everest

M Aamir Khan
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, May 22

After remaining in news for starting an online crowd-funding campaign to pursue her dream, mountaineer Nahida Manzoor has become the first woman from Kashmir to conquer Mount Everest.

The news of her reaching the summit was confirmed on the Facebook page of ‘Transcend Adventures’ — a group with whom Nahida went on the expedition to the world’s tallest peak. The post said Nahida along with Sherpa guide Nima Kancha reached the summit on Wednesday. She is expected to reach the base camp on Thursday.

“It was my childhood dream to climb Mount Everest. Mountaineering is a very expensive sport and the expedition to Everest costs Rs 30 lakh. After failing to get sponsors, I resorted to crowd-funding. I have climbed many peaks.... During my first hike at the age of 10, I had promised myself to conquer the highest peak in the world,” Nahida had told The Tribune before leaving the Valley.

Industries and Commerce Director Mahmood A Shah, who is also a well-known mountaineer, said she was the first woman from the Valley to climb the Everest.

“She is the first woman from Kashmir to reach at the top. It is a proud moment for us...a woman from Ladakh too had climbed the Everest before, but her expedition was not recognised,” said Shah, who was formerly tourism director and had done a lot to promote adventure sports and mountaineering activities in the Valley.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old youth Rizza Alee from Pattan in north Kashmir is also expected to scale Mount Everest in coming days. Pertinently, two personnel of J&K Police — Nazir Ahmed and Falil Singh — were part of the 11-member All India Police Sports Control Board team that had scaled the Everest on Tuesday.