Assam's First Woman Everest Climber Honored by Chief Minister

Celebrating a Historic Achievement

GUWAHATI, July 27: On Sunday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma honored Rupamoni Gorh, the first woman from Assam to reach the summit of Mount Everest, along with ITBP Assistant Commandant Bhanita Timungpi, during a ceremony at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur.

The state government awarded Rupamoni Gorh with a financial grant of Rs 10 lakh and Bhanita Timungpi with Rs 2 lakh in recognition of their remarkable achievements.

While congratulating Rupamoni, who hails from Na-Gaon Pathar village in the Boginadi area of Lakhimpur district, the chief minister expressed that her successful ascent on May 21 as part of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police’s All-Women Everest Expedition has brought great pride to Assam and serves as a powerful example of courage and determination.

This expedition was conducted under the Nari Shakti Vandan initiative by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, featuring a 14-member team, including 11 female climbers, led by Bhanita Timungpi.

Commending Timungpi’s leadership, Sarma noted her impressive record of climbing over 30 Himalayan peaks and emphasized that her vast mountaineering experience was crucial to the expedition's success. He also highlighted her recognition by the President of India and her service with the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Africa.

To honor Rupamoni’s achievement, the chief minister announced the construction of a new one-kilometer road connecting her home to Lilabari High School, which will be named Rupamoni Gorh Path, a proposal initiated by Lakhimpur MLA Manab Deka.

Reflecting on Assam’s rich mountaineering history, Sarma acknowledged the contributions of the Assam Mountaineering Association, established in 1968 by Rohini Kumar Bhuyan and Atanu Prasad Barua. He mentioned that Rohini Kumar Bhuyan and Khagendra Nath Bora were the first Assamese climbers to reach Bethartoli South in 1970, followed by Ajit Sarma and Bhagat Singh who summited Mrigthuni Peak shortly thereafter.

He also paid tribute to Rohini Kumar Bhuyan, who founded The Adventurers in 1974 and tragically lost his life in a snowstorm while returning from Kedarnath Dome in 1979.

The chief minister noted that Tarun Saikia became the first Assamese to conquer Mount Everest on May 19, 2013, followed by Manish Deka on May 25 of the same year. Nanda Dulal Das, Henry David Terang, Kharsing Terang, and Nava Kumar Phukan also successfully reached the Everest summit in 2015.

He emphasized that Rupamoni’s accomplishment is a historic milestone, as no Assamese woman had previously achieved this feat.

Encouraging the youth to engage in adventure sports, Sarma remarked that mountaineering presents promising career paths and assured government support for aspiring climbers. He also expressed pride in Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain, who led the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony of the ongoing Commonwealth Games, carrying the national flag.