Jamshedpur: Mountaineering is in my veins, says Everester Asmita Dorjee

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, May 30: Asmita Dorjee who peaked Mt Everest at 8:20 am on May 23, while addressing a press conference at JRD Tata Sports Complex on Tuesday stated, “Mountaineering runs in my veins. I belong to a Sherpa family and taking risks has been a trait in me since childhood.”

The TSAF Senior Instructor, while replying to a query, said, “Yes, I do feel scared some time but the spirit and drive to achieve the target provides new energy and dwarfs all fears and doubts. Summiting the world’s highest peak was qute difficult, but, at the same time thrilling. On scaling Everest, I had the feeling of having attained all the joys of the world. The sensation is beyond words. I attribute this achievement of mine to TSAF, my family and my in-laws who supported me all the way.”

Asmita was accompanied all the way to the top of Mt Everest by Sherpa Lakhpanuru. She planted the National and TSAF flags atop the highest peak.

It may be recollected that Asmita Dorjee had attempted to ascend Mt Everest in 2022 without oxygen supplement but it had turned out to be a literal case of, ‘so near yet so far,’ as she fell unconscious just 100 meters short of attaining her target. On this trip, Asmita Dorjee started her climb and reached 26,000 feet without supplementary oxygen but then her physical condition called for oxygen support to carry on with her ascent.

However, on September 30, 2022 Asmita Dorjee became the second Indian woman to scale the eighth highest peak in the world, Nepal’s Mt Manaslu (8163).

Asmita has climbed and attempted more than 8 peaks above 6,000 metres. She has successfully climbed Mt. Satopanth (7,075m), Mt. Dharamsura (6,420m), Mt. Gangotri 1 (6,120m), Mt. Stok Kangri (6,070m), Mt. Kang Yatse 2 (6,270m), Mt. Djo Zongo (6,240m). She climbed Mt. UT Kangri (6,030m) in winter and attempted Mt. Stok Kangri in winter and reached 5,700m.

Born in a Sherpa family in Thesu, a tiny village above Namache Bazaar in the Everest region, Asmita Dorjee had made the scaling of Mt. Everest her life goal since she lost her father Ang Dorjee to the mountain in 1984, who was also the Sherpa of Bachendri Pal during her 1984 climb. As a ward and understudy to the first Indian woman to touch the Mt. Everest summit, Asmita received her Basic Mountaineering Course in 2001 and subsequently Advanced Mountaineering Course in 2003. Since then, she has been working as an instructor at TSAF, conducting outdoor leadership courses and expeditions.

Asmita has climbed and attempted more than 8 peaks above 6,000 metres. She has successfully climbed Mt. Satopanth (7,075m), Mt. Dharamsura (6,420m), Mt. Gangotri 1 (6,120m), Mt. Stok Kangri (6,070m), Mt. Kang Yatse 2 (6,270m), Mt. Djo Zongo (6,240m). She climbed Mt. UT Kangri (6,030m) in winter and attempted Mt. Stok Kangri in winter and reached 5,700m.

Tata Steel Vice President Chanakya Chaudhary while congratul;ating Asmita Dorjee for successfully ascending Mt Everest said, “Tata Steel has a tradition to support people who want to achieve something special on the condition that they follow all Tata Steel relevant norms. So far, including Asmita, 11 mountaineers have been supported by Tata Steel to summit Mt Everest.”

Asmita’s husband Varn Sharma, Tata Steel Sports head Hemant Gupta, Hassan Imam and others were present at the press meet. (w/gsd)