Assam's Rupamoni Gorh Honored for Historic Everest Ascent

Celebrating a Trailblazer

Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 27: In a special ceremony at Lok Sewa Bhawan, Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recognized Rupamoni Gorh, the first woman from Assam to conquer Mount Everest.

During the event held on Sunday, the Chief Minister awarded Gorh with a financial grant of Rs. 10 lakh in acknowledgment of her remarkable achievement.

Gorh made history as a member of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police's (ITBP) inaugural all-women international Everest expedition, which successfully reached the summit on May 21.

This achievement not only marked her as the first woman from Assam to reach the world's highest peak but also highlighted her role in the ITBP's groundbreaking all-female mountaineering team.

She recounted her inspiring journey to join the ITBP's historic Everest expedition. After completing her basic and advanced mountaineering training in 2024 and 2025, she was selected as one of 11 climbers for the 2026 expedition.

Despite facing significant challenges, including the burden of heavy equipment, difficulties with food and sleep at high altitudes, and intense headaches, Gorh triumphantly reached the summit on May 21, 2026.

The expedition spanned 24 days from India to Nepal, with the final ascent from Base Camp to the summit taking four days.

“Our preparation began in 2024 with the basic course, followed by the advanced course in 2025. Fourteen girls participated, and all reached the summit... We were called for the Mount Everest expedition in early 2026, underwent two months of pre-training, and out of the 14, 11 were selected, including myself. Initially, I thought I wouldn’t continue in this field due to the strenuous nature of the work—carrying gear and struggling to eat or sleep at high altitudes. I also experienced severe headaches... I summited on May 21, 2026. The journey from India to Nepal took 24 days, but the actual climb from Base Camp to the summit took four days,” Gorh shared.