Bachendri Pal, Mountaineer
Mountaineer

Bachendri Pal

Born 24 May 1954 · Uttarakhand

First Indian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1984.

Bachendri Pal is an Indian mountaineer. She is the first Indian woman to climb the summit of the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest. She is a recipient of the third highest civilian award in India, Padma Bhushan.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

Bachendri Pal survived an avalanche at Camp III on Everest in 1984 that buried her tent and many teammates, yet she continued to summit weeks later.

The Story

1
🌄 In March 1984, Bachendri Pal joined the Indian Everest '84 expedition flying into Kathmandu with a team of 17 climbers, including six women, marking a pivotal moment in Indian mountaineering history.
2
❄️ On the night of May 15-16, 1984, an avalanche engulfed Camp III at 24,000 ft, nearly ending the expedition and forcing more than half the team to quit due to injuries and exhaustion.
3🏔️ Despite extreme winds of 100 km/h and freezing temperatures dropping to −40 °C, Bachendri was among the few who pressed onwards, reaching Camp IV at 26,000 ft before making the final summit push.
4On May 23, 1984, at 1:07 p.m., Bachendri Pal stood atop Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, after climbing vertical sheets of frozen ice, becoming the first Indian woman to do so.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Shri

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In May 1984, an avalanche struck Camp III on Everest at 24,000 ft, injuring many climbers and forcing over half the team to abandon the expedition, yet Bachendri Pal and a few others pressed on to summit.

🖼️

Through the Years

1 photograph from the archives
President Ram Nath Kovind felicitates Bachendri Pal with the Padma Bhushan award (2019).
President Ram Nath Kovind felicitates Bachendri Pal with the Padma Bhushan award (2019).
2019

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Nakuri, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
Bachendri Pal was born into a rural working-class family in Uttarakhand, one of seven siblings.
1954
⚡
Career
Selected for Everest '84 Expedition
Joined a mixed team of 17 climbers, including six women, to attempt the summit of Mount Everest.
1984
⚡
Career
Reached Everest Summit
Became the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest at 1:07 p.m. after surviving an avalanche.
1984
⚡
Career
Led Indo-Nepalese Women's Everest Expedition
Led an all-women team where 18 climbers, including seven women, summited Everest, setting new records.
1993
⚡
Career
Led Ganges River Rafting Expedition
Captained an all-women team rafting 2,155 km from Haridwar to Calcutta in 39 days.
1994
⚡
Career
Led Trans-Himalayan Expedition
Led 8 women on a trek from Arunachal Pradesh to Siachen Glacier, reaching Indira Col at 20,100 ft.
1997
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
Received India's third highest civilian award recognizing her contributions to mountaineering.
2019
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 06
💡SURPRISING

During the final ascent on May 23, 1984, Bachendri Pal faced winds of approximately 100 km/h and temperatures dropping to -40 °C while climbing vertical sheets of ice to reach Everest’s summit.

02 / 06
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

In 1994, she led an 18-woman rafting team on a 2,155 km journey down the Ganges from Haridwar to Calcutta, completing the voyage in 39 days, a pioneering all-women adventure expedition in India.

03 / 06
👤PERSONAL

Bachendri Pal was born into a rural working-class family in Nakuri, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, and overcame familial opposition to pursue mountaineering after completing her B.Ed. and M.A.

“

"We, the hill people, have always worshipped the mountains... my overpowering emotion at this awe-inspiring spectacle was, therefore, devotional."

— Bachendri Pal

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Bachendri Pal - First Indian Woman To Summit Mount Everest | Inspiring Personalities
More from this archive
Bachendri Pal - First Indian Woman To Summit Mount Everest | Inspiring Personalities
01
Bachendri Pal - First Indian Woman To Summit Mount Everest | Inspiring Personalities
Parwaz | Interview Of Bachendri Pal | Indian Mountaineer | News18 Urdu
02
Parwaz | Interview Of Bachendri Pal | Indian Mountaineer | News18 Urdu
Bachendri Pal Interview : बछेंद्री पाल को जब माउंट एवरेस्ट पर दिखी मौत (BBC Hindi)
03
Bachendri Pal Interview : बछेंद्री पाल को जब माउंट एवरेस्ट पर दिखी मौत (BBC Hindi)
Bachendri Pal | First Indian women who climb Mount Everest | भारत की पहली महिला
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Bachendri Pal | First Indian women who climb Mount Everest | भारत की पहली महिला
Not For Women Only | How Bachendri Pal Became The First Indian Woman To Climb Mount Everest
05
Not For Women Only | How Bachendri Pal Became The First Indian Woman To Climb Mount Everest
Bachendri Pal | पहली भारतीय महिला के एवरेस्ट चढ़ने की कहानी | हुआ यूं था | EPS19
06
Bachendri Pal | पहली भारतीय महिला के एवरेस्ट चढ़ने की कहानी | हुआ यूं था | EPS19
Bachendri Pal | 1st Indian Woman to Climb Mt. Everest | Empowered Women Empower Nation
07
Bachendri Pal | 1st Indian Woman to Climb Mt. Everest | Empowered Women Empower Nation
DISA: Dr. Chetana Pokhriyal in conversation with Padma Bhushan Ms.Bachendri Pal, Mt. Everest
08
DISA: Dr. Chetana Pokhriyal in conversation with Padma Bhushan Ms.Bachendri Pal, Mt. Everest
Interview of Bachendri Pal, which can change your life
09
Interview of Bachendri Pal, which can change your life
Breaking the Mould: Bachendri Pal
10
Breaking the Mould: Bachendri Pal

🌱 What changed because of them

Bachendri Pal’s 1984 Everest ascent catalyzed wider acceptance of women in Indian high-altitude mountaineering, inspiring institutions like the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering to support female climbers. Her leadership in all-women expeditions throughout the 1990s broke gender barriers in adventure sports and encouraged policy shifts towards inclusivity in Indian mountaineering programs.

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