Traverse of the Himalaya. Bachendri Pal (the first Indian woman to climb Everest and a member of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation) led the Indian Women’s First Trans-Himalayan Journey, which made a successful traverse of the entire Himalayan chain from the Arunachal Pradesh to the East Karakoram. Team members Chawla Jagirdar, Chetna Sahu, Vineeta Muni, Sumita Roy, Nanda Patel, Malika Virdi and M. Kokila Sudha went across Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal, Kumaon, Garhwal, Kinnaur, Spiti and the Ladakh Himalaya to finish their trek by reaching the Indira Col at the head of the Siachen glacier on September 2. This traverse was organized in accordance with India’s 50th year of freedom celebration.

Three members of the group, Vineeta Muni, Sumita Roy and Malika Virdi, went separately from Kumaon and completed their trek under a separate name and banner. They completed their traverse by reaching the Karakoram Pass on August 20.

Harish Kapadia, Honorary Editor, The Himalayan Journal