The first successful attempts to summit Mount Everest by Indians were in 1960. The first Indians to reach the summit were a group led by Captain M.S. Kohli in 1965. 422 Indians made a total of 465 attempts between 1965 and 2018. These include 43 repeat attempts by 29 summiteers. There have been 81 attempts by 74 women and 7 repeat attempts by 4 female summiteers from India.
Date/year | Name | Notation | Details | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 May 1965 | Lt Col Avatar. S. Cheema | The first Indian to climb Mount Everest. | Lt Col Avatar. S. Cheema and Nawang Gombu Sherpa climbed Mount Everest, Lt Col Avatar. S. Cheema the first Indian ever to achieve this feat. | [1] |
23 May 1984 | Bachendri Pal | The first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest. | [2] | |
10 May 1993 | Santosh Yadav | The first woman to climb Mount Everest twice. | She climbed to the summit for the second time and became the first woman in the world to ever climb Mount Everest twice. Her first summit was in 1992 as part of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Expedition to Mount Everest | [3] |
12 May to 21 May 2017 | Anshu Jamsenpa | First Double Access | She climbed the summit twice within 5 days (12–21 May 2017). | [4] |
19 May 2013 | Tashi and Nungshi Malik | The first twins to scale Mount Everest. | [5] | |
21 May 2013 | Arunima Sinha | The first female amputee to scale Mount Everest. | [6] | |
25 May 2014 | Malavath Purna | The youngest girl to summit Mount Everest. | She climbed the summit at the age of 13 years and 11 months. | [7][8] |
16 - 21 May 2017 | Anshu Jamsenpa | Scaled twice in one season. | She became the first woman in the world to scale the summit of Mount Everest twice in one season. | [9][10][11][12] |
16 May 2018 | Ajeet Bajaj and Dia Susanna Bajaj | The first father and daughter to conquer Everest together. | [13][14] | |
18 May 2018 | Vikas Shambhu Prasad Dimri (Vikas Dimri) | The first Full time Banker from India to climb the Everest | After an aborted summit attempt in 2017 - turned back from South Col because of bad weather, he returned successful the very next year. Subsequently, completed an Ironman Triathlon in Nov 2018 to become the first Indian to Summit Everest and complete an Ironman triathlon | [15][16] |
20 May 2018 | Love Raj Singh Dharmshaktu | The first Indian to climb the Everest seven times. | [17] | |
2018 | Sangeeta Sindhi Bahl | The oldest woman to climb the Everest. | She climbed the summit at the age of 53 years. | [18][19] |
23 May 2019 | Ravindra Kumar | The first Indian Administrative Service officer to climb the Everest | UP cadre IAS officer, Ravindra Kumar, scales the Everest twice. | [20][21] |
17 May 2023 | Yaashi Jain | A passionate Mountaineer & Computer Science Engineer | A Chhattisgarh-based mountaineer, who summited Mount Everest on 17 May 2023 and Mount Lhotse on 18th May 2023 within 26 hrs. of time becoming the youngest woman mountaineer to summit both. She has also climbed 4/7 continents' highest peaks. | [22][23] |
17 May 2023 | Suvidha Kadlag | Mountaineer | The first woman mountaineer from Maharashtra who has taken the traditional (Nauwari Saree) to Everest's feet. | [24][25][26] |
23 May 2023 | Ashish Singh | An Engineer, Entrepreneur & Mountaineer | A journey from small village of Madhya Pradesh to world Highest Peak. | [27][28][29] |
A decade-by-decade breakup of Indian summiteers of Mount Everest.
The first Indian expedition to scale Everest was in 1960 by Indian Army led by Brigadier Gyan Singh and this was unsuccessful. Climbers Colonel Narendra Kumar, Sonam Gyatso, and Sherpa Nawang Gombu reached up to 28,300 feet (8,600 meters) but due to extremely bad weather they had to turn back.[30][31]
The second Indian expedition to scale Everest was in 1962 by Indian Army led by Major John Dias and this was also unsuccessful. Climbers Captain M S Kohli, Sonam Gyatso, and Hari Dang reached up to 28,600 feet (8,700 meters) but due to extremely bad weather they also had to turn back.[32][31]
In 1965, the third Indian expedition by the Indian Army, which was led by Captain M S Kohli, included 21 core members of the expedition and 50 climbing sherpas. The initial attempt was during late April and due to bad weather, they came back to base camp and waited 2 weeks for better weather. By the end of May, they succeeded by scaling the mountain in four successive attempts. Colonel Narendra "Bull" Kumar was the deputy leader of the team. India became the fourth country to scale Mount Everest.
Records of the expedition
South Col side summiteers
There were no ascents for 17 years, between 1966 and 1983.[36]
In 1984, the fourth Indian expedition was led by Darshan Kumar Khullar and recorded a total of 5 ascents, including that of Bachendri Pal, the first woman summiteer from India - all from the South side (Nepal). Lieutenant Colonel Prem Chand was the deputy leader.[37][38]
On 23 May 1984, Bachendri Pal achieves history as the first Indian woman to conquer Everest.
South Col side summiteers
There were no ascents for 6 years, between 1985 and 1991.[40][41][42][43][44][45][46]
The 1992 Indo-Tibetan Border Police Expedition to Mount Everest by Indo-Tibetan Border Police was led by additional deputy superintendent Major Hukam Singh and recorded a total of 8 ascents by Indians including that of Santosh Yadav.[47] Senior medical officer Chittaranjan R. Pattanayak was the deputy leader.[48][49]
South Col side summiteers
The 1993 Indo-Nepalese Everest expedition was the first all-woman expedition launched by Indian Mountaineering Foundation and funded by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The 21-member team was led by Bachendri Pal. The historic expedition set up several world records at the time which included the largest number of persons (18) of a single expedition to climb Mount Everest, largest number of women (7) from a single country to climb Mount Everest.
Santosh Yadav became the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest twice while Dicky Dolma became the youngest woman (19 years old) in the world to climb the highest peak in the world. Santosh Yadav and Rita Gombu Marwah were the deputy leaders.[50][51][52] A total of 18 ascents happened - 11 of them were Indians and 7 were women.
South Col side summiteers
Lobsang Tshering Bhotia, the nephew of Tenzing Norgay, participated as a member of the 1993 Australian Macedonian Everest Expedition led by Tashi Wangchuk Tenzing. He reached the top but died by falling at the time of descending.[53]
No ascents were made by Indians in the years 1994 and 1995.[54][55]
The second 1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police was led by Mohinder Singh to reach the summit on the backdrop of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, and resulted in three summiteers of the expedition dying. The expedition is credited as being the first Indian ascent of Everest from the North Side and a total of 8 persons reaching the summit.[56][57] Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel, Parash Mani Das and Harbhajan Singh were the deputy leaders.[citation needed]
North Col side summiteers
No ascents were made by Indians in 1997.
In 1998, an expedition to Mount Everest was led by Hrishikesh Yadav as part of the Indian Independence Golden Jubilee celebration. During this expedition, a total of 8 persons reached the summit - 2 of them were Indians and 6 sherpas. This was the first successful Indian civilian expedition over any 8000m peak. Amongst them, was the youngest Rock climber in their team, Abhijit Burman who climbed when he was 30.[58][59]
North Col side summiteers
Another Indian, Kusang Dorjee Sherpa, reached the top as a hired member of the Himalayan Kingdom expedition led by David Walsh.
The 1999 Indian Everest Millennium Expedition was led by Santosh Yadav. During this expedition, a total of 4 ascents were by Indians.
South Col side summiteers
No ascents were made by Indians in 2000.[60]
The 2001 Indian Army Mount Everest Expedition was led by Colonel Krishan Kumar. During this expedition, 15 people reached the summit - 7 of them were Indians and 8 were sherpas. Satish Chander Sharma was the deputy leader.[61][62][63][64]
South Col side summiteers
No ascents were made by Indians in 2002.[65]
The 2003 Indo-Nepal Army on Everest and Lhotse Expedition, led by Colonel Ashok Abbey, recorded a total of 16 persons reaching the summit - 9 of them were Indians and 7 were sherpas. Major Chandra Shekhar Manda was the deputy leader.[66][67][68]
South Col side summiteers
Also, the 2003 Himalayan Mountaineering Institute Everest Expedition led by the principal of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute Colonel, Vijay Singh Thakur, recorded a total of 2 ascents by Indians. Kulwant Singh Dhami was the deputy leader.
North Col side summiteers
The first 2004 Indian Navy Mount Everest North Face Expedition by Indian Navy led by Satyabrata Dam recorded a total of 12 persons reaching the summit - 5 of them were Indians and 7 sherpas. Lieutenant Amit Pande was the deputy leader.[69][70][71]
North Col side summiteers
The 2005 Indian Army Women Everest Expedition, led by Major Saurabh Singh Shekhawat, recorded a total of 15 persons to reach the summit - 9 of them were Indians and 6 were sherpas. The deputy leader was lieutenant colonel Anand Swaroop.[72][73][74]
North Col side summiteers
The 2005 Indian Air Force Everest Expedition by Indian Air Force led by Air Force wing commander Amit Chowdhury recorded a total of 7 persons reach the summit - 3 of them were Indians and 4 were sherpas.[75][76]
North Col side summiteers
The First Border Security Force (BSF) Everest Expedition 2006, led by Major Sharab Chandub Negi, recorded a total of 16 persons reaching the summit - 7 of them were Indians and 9 were sherpas,.[78][79][80][81]
South Col side summiteers
The third 2006 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest, led by Harbhajan Singh, recorded a total of 14 persons reaching the summit -12 of them were Indians and 2 were sherpas. Prem Singh was the deputy leader.[82][83]
North Col side summiteers
The 2007 Indian Army Everest Expedition led by Lt. Colonel Ishwar Singh Thapa recorded a total of 24 persons reaching the summit - 12 of them was Indians and 12 were sherpas.[84][85][86]
North Col side summiteers
13. Shekhar Babu Bachinepally reached the summit in a separate two-men expedition.
South Col side summiteers
Ongda Gyalzen Sherpa reached the summit as a Sherpa in the Caudweel Xtreem Everest led by Michael Patrick William (Mike) Grocott.
The 2008 Indian Army Snow Lion Everest Expedition, led by Army officer Ashok Abbey, recorded a total of 18 persons reaching the summit - 9 of them were Indians and 9 were sherpas.[87][88]
South Col side summiteers
The 2008 Gyamtsho Tshering Bhutia Everest Expedition recorded a total of 22 persons reaching the summit - 10 of them were Indians and 12 were Sherpa.[88]
South Col side summiteers
With he help of 3 sherpas, Kalpana Dash, an Indian lawyer and mountaineer, reached the top. She had attempted to climb Mount Everest twice before, once in 2004 and once in 2006, but failed due to bad weather and health conditions.
The 2009 Nehru Institute of Mountaineering Everest Expedition, led by Brig. Mangal Murti Masur, VSM, recorded a total of 17 persons reaching the summit - 10 of them were Indians and 7 were sherpas.[89]
South Col side summiteers
On 21 May 2009, Krushnaa Patil climbs the summit and became the youngest woman (16 years and 7 months years old) in the world to climb the highest peak in the world.[90] Gaurav Sharma and Tapi Mra also reached the summit as part of two separate expeditions.
2010 recorded a total of 4 ascents by Indians through separate excursions - all from the South side (Nepal).[91]
On 22 May 2010, Arjun Vajpai became the youngest Indian to reach the summit at the age of 16 years, 11 months, and 18 days.
South Col side summiteers
2011 recorded a total of 20 ascents by 19 Indians (double ascent Anshu Jamsenpa) from the South side (Nepal).[92]
Premlata Agarwal became the oldest Indian woman to have scaled Mount Everest at the age of 48. Anshu Jamsenpa summited twice on 12 May and 21 May.
South Col side summiteers
2011 Indian Air Force Women Everest Expedition
The 2011 Indian Air Force Women Everest Expedition led by Lt. Colonel Narender Kumar Dahiya recorded a total of 19 persons reaching the summit, 7 of them were Indians and 12 sherpas.[93][94][95]
South Col side summiteers
In 2013 Wansuk Myrthong the first Women from the state of Meghalaya-India climbed the Mt. Everest Summit on 18 May 2013.
2012 recorded a total of 52 ascents by Indians, 10 of them was women - 7 from the North side (China/ Tibet) and 45 from South side (Nepal).[96]
The fourth 2012 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest led by Prem Singh recorded a total of eight persons reach on the summit, seven of them were Indian and one was a sherpa.[97][98]
The 2012 Indian Army Women Everest Expedition led by Lt. Colonel Ajay Kothiyal recorded a total of 28 persons reach on the summit, 15 of them was Indians and 13 sherpas,[99][100]
The 2012 Indian Army Snow lion Everest Expedition led by Lt. Colonel Bhupesh Hada recorded a total of 11 persons reach on the summit, seven of them were Indian and four were sherpas.
(first Indian army to scale mounteverest summit without supplementary oxygen on 5 May 2012)
The 2012 Himalayan Mountaineering Institute Everest Expedition by Himalayan Mountaineering Institute on 2012 led by Lt. Colonel Neeraj Rana recorded a total of 10 persons reach on the summit, 6 of them was Indians and 4 sherpas.
2013 recorded a total of 67 ascents by Indians. 11 of them were women - all from the South side (Nepal).[104]
On 19 May 2013, Ravindra Kumar became the first Indian Administrative Officer to climb the Mt. Everest.[105] On 23 May 2019, Kumar became the first Indian Administrative Officer to climb the Mt. Everest twice.[106]
On 21 May 2013, Arunima Sinha became the first female amputee to scale Mount Everest.
Nungshi Malik and Tashi Malik, the first twins to climb Mount Everest together, summited.
The 2013 Indo Nepal Joint Army Everest Expedition led by Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal recorded a total of 43 persons reach on the summit, 11 of them was Indians and 32 sherpas.[107]
The 2013 National Cadet Corps NCC Everest Expedition led by Satish Chander Sharma recorded a total of 25 persons reach on the summit, 11 of them was Indians and 14 sherpas.[108]
The 2013 Special Service Bureau (SSB) Everest Expedition by Sashastra Seema Bal led by Somit Joshi recorded a total of 11 persons reach on the summit, 5 of them was Indians and 6 sherpas,.[109][110]
The 2013 North East India Everest Expedition led by Surjit Singh Leishangthem recorded a total of 21 persons reach on the summit, 11 of them was Indians and 10 sherpas.[111][112][113]
The Lawrence School, Sanawar Everest Expedition led by Neeraj Rana recorded a total of 13 persons reach on the summit, 7 of them was Indians and 6 sherpas,[114][115]
2014 recorded a total of 5 ascents by Indians and one of them woman - all from the North side (China/ Tibet).[116]
The 2014 Transcend Adventures Everest Expedition led by Shekhar Babu Bachinepally created a new history, Malavath Poorna On 25 May 2014, at the age of 13 years and 11 months, became the youngest girl in the world to have reached the summit.[117][118][119]
No ascents were made by Indians in 2015.[120]
2016 recorded a total of 50 ascents by Indians, 15 of them women. One died. Six were from the north side (China/ Tibet) and 44 from south side (Nepal).[121]
The 2016 Transcend Adventures Everest Expedition led by Shekhar Babu Bachinepally recorded a total of 13 persons reach on the summit, 5 of them was Indians and 8 sherpas,.[122][123]
The 2016 Indian Army Everest Massif Expedition led by Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal recorded a total of 27 persons reach on the summit, 10 of them was Indians and 17 sherpas,.[124][125]
The 2016 National Cadet Corps (NCC) Girls Everest Expedition led by Guarav Karki recorded a total of 28 persons reach on the summit, 14 of them was Indians and 14 sherpas,[127][128]
2016 Satori Adventurous International Everest Expedition led by Jitesh Popatial Mody recorded a total of 16 persons reach on the summit, 6 of them was Indians and 10 sherpas.
The 2016 Seven Summit Trecks Everest Expedition led by Iranian Azim Gheychisaz recorded a total of 25 persons reaching the summit, 7 of them Indians.
2017 recorded a total of 49 ascents by 48 Indians (double ascent Anshu Jamsenpa), 7 accents by 6 women- One die - 18 from the North side (China/ Tibet) and 31 from South side (Nepal).[129]
Anshu Jamsenpa created a new history. The first woman in the world to scale the summit of Mount Everest twice in a season (and the first to do so within 5 days). It is also the fastest double ascents of the tallest crest by a woman. This was her fifth summit and thus she became the most time climbed Indian woman.
The 2017 Transcend Adventures Everest Expedition led by Shekhar Babu Bachinepally recorded a total of 37 persons reach on the summit, 16 of them was Indians and 21 sherpas.[130]
The 2017 Indian Navy Everest-Lhotse Expedition by Indian Navy led by Lieutenant Commander Sanjay K. Kulkarni recorded a total of 20 persons reach on the summit, 9 of them was Indians and 11 sherpas. Lieutenant Commander Vinit Doshi was the deputy leader.[132][133]
The 2017 Indian Army Snow Lion Everest Expedition led by Vishal Dubey recorded a total of 13 persons reach on the summit, 7 of them was Indians and 6 sherpas.[134][135]
The 2017 Asian Trekking ONGC Eco Everest Expedition by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation led by Satendra K. Sangwan recorded a total of 16 persons reach on the summit, 7 of them was Indians and 9 sherpas.[136]
Another South Col side summiteers in 2017
2018 recorded a total of 69 ascents by Indians - 8 of them women - 18 from the North Col and 51 from South Col.[137] Ajeet Bajaj and Dia Susanna Bajaj, a father-daughter duo from Delhi, made history by conquering Mount Everest on 16 May. Sangeeta Sindhi Bahl became the oldest Indian woman to have scaled the world's tallest peak at the age of 53 years.
The second Border Security Force (BSF) Everest Expedition 2018, led by Love Raj Singh Dharmshaktu, recorded a total of 30 persons to reach the summit.[138][139][140][141]
South Col side summiteers
The 2018 Uttarakhand State Police Everest Expedition led by Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal recorded a total of 16 persons reaching the summit - 8 of them was Indians and 8 sherpas.[143][144]
South Col side summiteers
The 2018 NIMAS India Everest Expedition by National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports led by Colonel Sarfraz Singh recorded a total of 13 persons reach on the summit, 8 of them was Indians and 5 sherpas.[145][146][147]
The 2018 Force Motors Everest Expedition led by Sauraj Jhingan recorded a total of 4 persons reaching the summit - 2 of them were Indians and 2 were sherpas.[148][149]
South Col side summiteers
18 other people reached the summit as part of different expeditions. They were:
The 2018 Transcend Adventurous Everest Expedition led by Shekhar Babu Bachinepally recorded a total of 40 persons reaching the summit - 18 of them were Indians and 22 were sherpas.[152]
North Col side summiteers
2019 recorded a total of 77 ascents by Indians - 18 of them women - from both South Col and North Col side.
South Col side summiteers
North Col side summiteers
1. # Ravindra Kumar became the first Indian Administrative Officer to climb the Mt. Everest twice on 23 May 2019.[157]
2. # Kuntal Joisher[158]
3. # Parth Upadhyay
There were no summit attempts in 2020 as Nepal and Tibet, both sides were closed during the mountaineerCOVID-19 pandemic.
1. Yaashi Jain[164] She has completed the Basic Mountaineering Course and Advanced Mountaineering Course. She is a Chhattisgarh-based mountaineer, who summited Mount Everest on 17 May 2023 and Mount Lhotse on 18th May within 26 hrs. of time span becoming the youngest woman mountaineer to summit both. She has also climbed 4/7 continents' highest peaks.
2. Ashish Singh[165][28][27][29]
He has completed Basic Mountaineering Course and Advance Mountaineering Course, He did BTech in mechanical engineering.
He has delivered more than 150 lectures in different educational institutes. He has also completed certificate courses in the field of designing and manufacturing of vehicles and solar technology.
A Pune-based Marathon runner and mountaineer, who summited Mount Everest on 17 May 2023. She is the only women mountaineer from Maharashtra who has taken the traditional (Nauwari Saree) to this feet.