IPS Aparna all set to scale world’s eighth highest peak
After becoming the country’s first civil servant to scale the Mount Vinson Massif, the highest peak in Antarctica, Aparna Kumar, a UP Cadre IPS officer and mother of two, is now on her mission to climb Mount Manaslu in the west-central part of Nepal.
Though Mt Manaslu is not part of her seven summits but if she succeeds in her attempt, she will become the first Indian woman to scale the peak. At 8,163 metres above sea level, Mount Manaslu is the eighth highest peak in the world. Kumar has already reached the base camp at the height of 12,000 feet.
Aparna Kumar, who is posted as DIG, PAC Headquarter in Lucknow surprised the world after climbing six of the Seven Summits (the highest peaks of seven continents) in a span of two years.
“She left for the mission on September 9 from Kathmandu along with a team having members from China, Korea, Japan and Australia. Depending on the weather condition her Manaslu expedition will most likely complete by October 5 to 10,” shares Sanjay Kumar, district magistrate, Allahabad and Aparna Kumar’s husband.
Talking to Hindustan Times the DM said if Aparna’s attempt becomes successful it would be a proud moment for the country as she’ll become the first woman to plant Indian National Flag on the peak of Mount Manaslu.
Though beautiful, Mount Manaslu is a very high-altitude mountain and the climbers experience days of snowfalls, avalanches, falls etc.
Temperature falls below minus 40 degrees and the mountaineers have to climb on the steep snow slopes in this extreme weather conditions.
“It is more difficult than other mountains due to the snow, weather and length of the expedition. Aparna is climbing with all the climbing equipments, personal gear including food, clothing, sleeping bag etc which alone weighs over 50 kgs. A person that cooks food for the team accompanied them only till base camp. Aparna and the team will now manage their food on their own. In order to reach the summit Aparna will have to begin climbing by night so that they could be at the highest point by sunrise. All these takes years of rigorous training and experience,” he added.
APARNA SURPRISED THE WORLD AFTER CLIMBING SIX OF THE SEVEN SUMMITS IN A SPAN OF TWO YEARS