A trio of ambitious Nepali climbers are among those reshaping the country’s male-dominated mountaineering industry
There is an irrestible energy in mountains, says Purnima Shrestha. “There have been so many memorable moments, all the challenges and successes. There is one video of me bawling on Kanchenjunga [in the Nepal Himalayas] after a successful summit. It took us 22 hours to reach the top from Camp 4. I still feel emotional thinking about that incredible experience.”
Shrestha, 31, is among a new generation of Nepali women shattering societal expectations and the glass ceiling in Nepal’s male-dominated mountaineering industry. Not only has she climbed seven of Nepal’s 8,000m-plus peaks, she completed them in four years and eight months, becoming the fastest Nepali woman to do so. Now she has her sights set on becoming one of the few people in the world to complete the 14-summit challenge.
Record-breaking mountaineer Purnima Shrestha
Written by Neelima Vallangi
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/dec/06/nepal-record-breaking-female-mountaineers-a-photo-essay under the title “‘Your mother is in the mountains’: Nepal’s record-breaking female mountaineers – a photo essay”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
