Darjeeling, June 22: Premlata Agarwal might have scaled the highest peak on earth at the age of 45 but her ambition continues to soar higher.
Premlata, a homemaker, became the oldest woman from India to climb Mt Everest on May 20 this year but she is not yet ready to sit on her laurels.
The mother of two has already started nursing dreams to climb all the highest peaks in every continent within the next two years.
The mountaineer, who was born at Sukhiapokhri, 20km from Darjeeling, today said: “Within the next two years, I want to climb all the highest peaks in every continent. I am confident of achieving this goal.”
The Everester was always inspired by the Himalayas seen from Darjeeling and even though she left Sukhiapokhri after her marriage in 1982 her adventure spirit did not leave her.
“I had joined a gym at Jamshedpur and in 2000 they once took us for a trek in a neigbhouring hill. My elder daughter, Priyansha, also joined us. I came third and was also given an award. I was thrilled and wanted to enrol my elder daughter in a mountaineering course but my mentor, Bachendri Pal — the first Indian woman to climb Everest in1984 — said I too could climb the mountain,” said Premlata.
Soon the mother-daughter duo found themselves heading to Nehru Mountaineering Institue at Uttarkashi for a 21-day adventure course and Premlata’s determination to make a mark in the mountaineering fraternity continue to grow stronger.
She came back to Darjeeling in 2003 to complete a 15-day basic course at the Himalayan Mountai- neering Institute where she was adjudged the best student.
From 2004 Premalata became part of several Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) trips and scaled Island Peak (Nepal, 20,600ft) in 2004, Karakoram Pass (18,300ft) and Mount StokKangri (20,150ft) in 2006, and the inaugural Indian women’s Thar Desert Expedition in 2007.
In 2008 she also scaled Mt Killimanjaro in Tanzania — the highest volcanic mountain in the world.
The Thar expedition involved a 40-day camel safari from Bhuj in Gujarat to the Wagah border in Punjab and she found a place in the Limca Book of Records for this feat.
Today, during a felicitation ceremony organised by the Darjeeling Marwari Sahayak Samity, Premlata sounded confident of breaking more records in the days to come.
Asked if funds would be a problem, she said; “Funds, it seems is always a major issue for mountaineers but I was lucky to have Bachendri Pal as my mentor. Her presence helped me a lot and I thinkfunds would not be a problem in my future endeavours.”
Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110623/jsp/northeast/story_14147379.jsp
Premlata, a homemaker, became the oldest woman from India to climb Mt Everest on May 20 this year but she is not yet ready to sit on her laurels.
The mother of two has already started nursing dreams to climb all the highest peaks in every continent within the next two years.
The mountaineer, who was born at Sukhiapokhri, 20km from Darjeeling, today said: “Within the next two years, I want to climb all the highest peaks in every continent. I am confident of achieving this goal.”
The Everester was always inspired by the Himalayas seen from Darjeeling and even though she left Sukhiapokhri after her marriage in 1982 her adventure spirit did not leave her.
“I had joined a gym at Jamshedpur and in 2000 they once took us for a trek in a neigbhouring hill. My elder daughter, Priyansha, also joined us. I came third and was also given an award. I was thrilled and wanted to enrol my elder daughter in a mountaineering course but my mentor, Bachendri Pal — the first Indian woman to climb Everest in1984 — said I too could climb the mountain,” said Premlata.
Soon the mother-daughter duo found themselves heading to Nehru Mountaineering Institue at Uttarkashi for a 21-day adventure course and Premlata’s determination to make a mark in the mountaineering fraternity continue to grow stronger.
She came back to Darjeeling in 2003 to complete a 15-day basic course at the Himalayan Mountai- neering Institute where she was adjudged the best student.
From 2004 Premalata became part of several Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) trips and scaled Island Peak (Nepal, 20,600ft) in 2004, Karakoram Pass (18,300ft) and Mount StokKangri (20,150ft) in 2006, and the inaugural Indian women’s Thar Desert Expedition in 2007.
In 2008 she also scaled Mt Killimanjaro in Tanzania — the highest volcanic mountain in the world.
The Thar expedition involved a 40-day camel safari from Bhuj in Gujarat to the Wagah border in Punjab and she found a place in the Limca Book of Records for this feat.
Today, during a felicitation ceremony organised by the Darjeeling Marwari Sahayak Samity, Premlata sounded confident of breaking more records in the days to come.
Asked if funds would be a problem, she said; “Funds, it seems is always a major issue for mountaineers but I was lucky to have Bachendri Pal as my mentor. Her presence helped me a lot and I thinkfunds would not be a problem in my future endeavours.”
Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110623/jsp/northeast/story_14147379.jsp