All-women mountaineering team scale Mt Sudarshan

An all-women mountaineers’ team from Pune-based mountaineering and adventure club Giripemi has scaled Mt Sudarshan in the Garhwal-Himalayas in the northern state of Uttarakhand.

Mount Sudarshan, located in the Gangotri region of the Garhwal Himalayas, is an extremely challenging peak, known for its continuous rockfalls, avalanches, and unpredictable weather.

The elevation of Sudarshan Parbat is 6,529 metres (21,421 ft) and its prominence is 456 metres (1,496 ft). 

The P Cube Mt. Sudarshan Expedition 2023 was flagged off in August in Pune. 

Expedition leader Smita Kariwadekar, on September 6th, at 12:45 PM, unfurled the Indian tricolor and the Maharashtra flag at the summit of Sudarshan.

This remarkable feat makes Giripremi's women's team the first such team from India. 

Alongside, other members of the mission, including Purva Shinde, Padmaja Dhanvi, Sneha Gude, and Sneha Talwatkar, also reached heights of up to 6,200 meters. 

However, due to deteriorating weather conditions, they wisely decided to descend a few meters short from the summit, ensuring the safety of the team. Another team member Seema Pai climbed till the height of 5500m at Camp 1. Akhil Katkar a Giripremi’s experienced mountaineer, instructors from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering Lale Thajil Poon, Munindar Rana, and Saurabh Kumar, as well as Gyalbo Sherpa, Satyapal, and Ankul supported the expedition’s logistics and administration. Out of which Poon, Gyalbo, Muninder Rana and Saurabh summited the peak along with the team. 

The P-Cube Enterprises, Parimal & Pramod Chaudhari Foundation, Namah Ropes, Praj Industries also played a crucial role in the success of this mission, providing support, guidance, and resources.

Veteran mountaineer Umesh Zirpe, who was the  mentor of the expedition, stated, "The ascent of Mount Sudarshan is not only a physical and mental challenge but also involves dealing with the ever- changing weather conditions and treacherous terrain in the region. In the past several years, no one has attempted this route. The year-long preparation and hard work of the women's team have borne fruit today, as we witness the successful ascent of Sudarshan.”

The establishment of Base Camp involved using techniques like Tyrolean traverses across rivers, ensuring the safety of the team during the expedition. The route to the summit is tough, with steep climbs and crevasses. The team made meticulous preparations and faced numerous obstacles to reach Base Camp, located at approximately 4,200 meters, beyond Gomukh, on the ‘Shvetvarn’ glacier. From there, they established Advance Base Camp, Camp 1, and Camp-2 before finally embarking on the challenging summit push. 

The trust and confidence they instilled, along with the training and assistance from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi, under the leadership of Colonel Anshuman Bhadoria and Major Dr. Deval Vajpayee, contributed significantly to the expedition's success. 

The founder member of Giripremi, Ushaprabha Page has been always instrumental in motivating women mountaineers for many years. "Women can match men in mountaineering skills and excel in various fields. The success of Sudarshan fills us with immense happiness and pride. The support from their families has been crucial in their journey,” she said.