The Hindu Business Line : Dash to the top of the world

For a woman mountaineer who has successfully scaled the world’s highest peak in the most trying of conditions — Kalpana Dash, 42, from Orissa, is extremely modest, unassuming and soft-spoken. A great believer in destiny and hard work, she hardly displays any aggression that is characteristic of many sportspersons.

Kalpana always had it in her to make it to the top of the world. But it was this May, on her third attempt, that she became the oldest woman in India to conquer the 8,848-metre high Mount Everest.

Incidentally, she is also the first civilian and the first Oriya to achieve this feat. She was among 27 individuals who successfully scaled the Everest, as team members of High Altitude Workers of HAD International Everest Expedition 2008.

In a group that included ace climbers from Nepal, the US, Canada and Ukraine, among other countries, Kalpana led a team of 10. She reached the peak at 11.30 a.m. IST on May 21.

The ace climber is a lawyer by profession and pursues mountain climbing as a hobby. She has never enrolled into a professional mountaineering course and her desire for climbing the highest peak emerged out of pure passion for the sport.

Training

But not having professional training can have its disadvantages. Kalpana’s first two attempts were unsuccessful. The first time she climbed the Everest in 2004, she could only make it to 7,300 metres without oxygen. During her second try, in 2006, despite climbing 8,048 metres, she was forced to return after entering the death zone — an area marked by oxygen scarcity, sub-zero temperatures and strong winds. She admits that during both her failed attempts, her preparations were amateurish — she had no idea of the harsh climate, health hazards involved or the right kind of equipment to be used.

So, for her third attempt, a resolute and well prepared Kalpana left nothing to chance. “My prayers were answered when I scaled Mount Everest, especially after I had been trying for the last few years,” she says.

She admits that for her earlier two attempts she wasn’t as well prepared. “But the previous failures acted like the perfect stepping stones for me. This time round I was better guided and had full knowledge of the weather conditions. My mountaineering equipment and gear were also better this time,” she says.

Guidance

What helped immeasurably was the expert guidance of mountaineer Bachendri Pal — the first Indian woman to scale the Everest. Kalpana met Bachendri during a mountain expedition she had attended and the two women subsequently stayed in touch.

So, when Kalpana decided to prepare for her third climb, she decided to take the help of the master herself.

She taught Kalpana some climbing techniques and gave her some vital mountaineering tips. And Kalpana stayed in top shape with a daily regimen that included climbing the 785-metre high Kapilas Hill, near Dhenkanal, her hometown, about 100 km from Bhubaneswar. In a State like Orissa, which rarely gives priority to sports and sportspersons, pursuing an extreme sport like mountaineering from the modest town of Dhenkanal would surprise many.

Moreover, mountaineering is considered a predominantly male pursuit. But Kalpana is clear-headed about her approach; “I have never considered it from the male-female point of view.

For me, it was a passion. I imbibed a love for mountaineering from my father, Gunanidhi Dash. He would scale all the hills and mountains around our hometown and I used to go along with him.”

Incidentally, Kalpana was the only Indian among the nearly 500 people who were slated to attempt the summit this year. She is also the first Indian woman and the third Indian climber to reach the summit of the world’s tallest peak after raising funds privately. The rest have either belonged to the armed forces or to institutes that have lent them training and financial support.

Celebrations

As news of her achievement reached Orissa, it was celebration time in the State. Her family was inundated with congratulatory messages from dignitaries and ordinary people. Governor Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare stated that Kalpana’s success had proved that sheer willpower leads to success and her outstanding achievement had put her in the exclusive company of the very best women Everesters.

Her success signified the strength of womanpower and will be a source of inspiration for innumerable women in the State, added the Governor. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also congratulated her. Hundreds of jubilant local residents gathered outside her house. Bachendri said Kalpana has now become an inspiration for all Indian women. “She has chased her dreams and reached where she wanted to be,” she added.

But Kalpana’s ascent to glory has been far from easy. She had to battle financial constraints for each of her attempts. This year, when she could not generate the requisite funds for the expedition, the people of Dhenkanal came to her rescue and organised a sponsorship campaign.

A chunk of the funds came from corporate houses. “But I consider myself quite fortunate that, in spite of the constraints, I had the good wishes of the people of Orissa. I can never thank them enough for their prayers and goodwill,” she says gently.

Soon after her remarkable feat, Kalpana fell gravely ill — she had a blood clot that developed because of lack of oxygen and a severe lung infection — and had to undergo treatment in Kathmandu, the base camp for the expedition.

Even after her return to Orissa, she was confined to the hospital bed. Battling illness without adequate medical facilities and financial aid, Kalpana’s nightmare did not end till the local media wrote about her pitiful condition and the government assured that it would provide her with all medical facilities. It has also announced a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. Still undergoing treatment, Kalpana has been advised complete rest.

Recalling the difficulties she went through, she says , “It was quite tough. I had severe headaches due to clotting because of lack of oxygen. My lungs were not functioning properly and my limbs were also quite fatigued. But I am gradually improving and feeling better.”

Her only regret is that she was unable to be part of the all-women team, led by Bachendri Pal, which recently went to Tanzania to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro. But Kalpana is determined to scale the Kilimanjaro and Kanchanjunga some day.

“When I look outside my room and see the mountains I feel like taking off this very moment,” she says.

Women’s Feature Service