Nahida Manzoor first Kashmiri woman to summit Everest

Nahida Manzoor, 26, created history by becoming the first Kashmiri woman to successfully summit the World’s highest peak, Mount Everest.

The news about her successful summit was made public by Transcend Adventures, a Hyderabad-based mountaineering and trekking services company, with which she had gone for her maiden attempt to scale the Everest.

“The Fourth summit of the day is Nahida Manzoor along with her Sherpa Guide Nima Kancha. Nahida hails from the state of Jammu & Kashmir. The 26-year old lady has been passionate about the snow peaks and took to the mountains at a very young age,” the company posted on their official Facebook page.

Daughter of mutton seller Manzoor Ahmad Pampori, Nahida along with her group had left from Everest Base camp for the summit on Saturday and on Tuesday she made the successful summit of the peak.

Nahida, who resides in the Zeewan area on the outskirts of Srinagar, is pursuing a BA at Vishwa Bharti Women’s College. Second, of Pampori’s three daughters, she had always love for mountaineering and climbed major mountains in the Valley from an early age.

On March 4, she had started crowdfunding to support her dream journey as she required Rs 30 lakh for the adventure. She was able to generate sponsorships from TCI Max (a cement factory) J&K State Sports Council, and District Commissioner Srinagar after she started the crowdfunding campaign.

An attempt to summit Mt Everest costs around Rs 30 lakh, including permit fees paid to the Nepal government.

Before leaving for the expedition, she told reporters in Srinagar that it was her childhood dream to climb Mount Everest. “Mountaineering is a very expensive sport and the expedition to the Everest costs Rs 30 lakh. After failing to get sponsors, I resorted to crowd-funding,” she said.

“When I started, there were hardly any women who went for expeditions and trekking. Now things have changed, and I am seeing more and more girls joining adventure sport,” she added.

Nahida’s feat was lauded by politicians and common people in the Valley. “Kashmiris too have dreams & aspirations like everyone else. Somewhere between stereotyping & demonizing them, human stories are lost. All of twenty-three, Nahida Manzoor is the first Kashmiri woman to scale Mt Everest. More power to her & the youth of J&K,” former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, tweeted.

National Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah also congratulated Nahida and two Jammu and Kashmir police officers for submitting the Everest.

“It’s a proud moment for our state and its people. I congratulate the trio who have successfully scaled the world’s highest peak. Moreover, the team also comprised of a girl. I congratulate her, and I believe that her achievement has the ability to transform a generation, as will do her male counterparts. They truly are an inspiration for others,” he said.