Mountain climbing is one of the most dangerous sporting activities in the world as it involves loads of risks. In every step, the climber is exposed to injuries like twisted ankles, sprained muscles, torn ligaments, broken bones, back injury, and of course frostbite. Despite being fraught with danger, people regularly risk their lives to scale mountain peaks. Conquering those challenges and getting a feel of accomplishment are perhaps the prime movers behind the adventure. Be it Arjuna Awardee Bachendri Pal or Padma Shri winners Arunima Shah and Santosh Yadav, all have made the nation proud. Back home also, Odisha is proud to have some of the finest mountaineers in the world. A few of them told Sunday POST about their achievement and challenges they have faced to reach the summit.
Had a dream to scale Everest- Ganesh Chandra Jena
Ace mountaineer Ganesh Chandra Jena needs no introduction. Hailing from Paralakhemundi, he scaled the peak of Mount Everest May 18, 2011 becoming the first man from Odisha to achieve the feat. Jena tasted the first major success when he scaled Mt Bandapuch Peak (21763 x) in 1996. In 1998, he climbed Mt Stok Kangri Peak, Mt Ladaki Pak and Mt Shetidhar Peak. Next year, he scaled Mt Mamostong Kangri and Mt Kardjungla. After that there was no looking back for him. The ace mountaineer completed a preliminary water sports course at Pong Dam in 1998 and a course at Special Forces Training Wing at Nahan. Also, he was the lone participant from India in Tenzing-Hillary Himalayan Marathon organised by the Nepal government in 2013. He successfully scaled Mount Elbrus to become the first Odia to hold the record of reaching the top of the 5,642-metre high mountain located at Moscow in Russia.
Born to Kantaru and Sita Jena, Ganesh was passionate about mountains when he was a kid. Recounting his childhood days, Ganesh says, “When I used to climb hills at my village Sitapur, I would always dream of climbing Mount Everest one day. Following my graduation, I decided to follow my passion of climbing mountains and make a career in it.”
The Himalayan dream was an expensive affair for the seasoned mountaineer who has so far scaled 21 mountain peaks including 15 peaks in India. “Mountaineering is my first love though it involves life risk. I have scaled over 20 peaks around the world, but every time I touch 7,000 metre, I feel that would be my last expedition. However, I changed my mind after I reached the summit. Forgetting all the hardship and pain I underwent in my last trip, I plan for the next expedition. I had to drop my plan to scale Everest twice at the last minute due to fund crunch. However, I managed to arrange funds in my third attempt. BDA contributed `1 lakh while another state government body , Industrial Development Corporation chipped in with `50,000 out of the `3.7 lakh I spent to take part in the event,” adds Jena.
Took training in climbing on Mamu-Bhanaja hill — Chinmay Maharana
All pursue a dream but everyone cannot make their dream come true. However, mountaineer Chinmay from Old Bhubaneswar made his dream of scaling major mountains come true. For him, mountaineering is not just an adventurous trip. He wanted to scale mountains from his college life. He took part in an adventure camp organised by National Adventure Foundation in 2014. After that, he took climbing training at Mamu-Bhanaja hill at Balugaon in Khurda
district.
Asked how he developed a passion for mountaineering, Chinmay says, “I was very much active in sports and extra-curricular activities during my college days. Impressed by my sporting skills, one of my college professors advised me to go mountaineering. His encouraging words made me where I am today. With the help of adventure coach Dillip Kumar Pradhan, I started training for mountaineering. Soon after graduation I went on an expedition at the age of 21. I did my basic course in mountaineering at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports in 2015 and advance course at Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling and Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering, Pahalgam in Jammu & Kashmir in 2016. I have scaled eight mountains so far.”
Apart from being a mountaineer, Chinmay has carved a niche as an instructor for imparting training to aspiring mountaineers. He has scaled Mt Rudugaira (19,100 ft), Uttarkashi in 2019, Mt Darba Top (13,500 ft), Uttarkashi in 2018, scaled Palung (18,000 ft) at Sikkim in 2017, imparted training in three National camps in adventure sports between 2014 and 2016. Also, he scaled Choukigarh (10,925 ft), Manali in 2016, scaled Lamaduag (11,482 ft) of Manali in 2016, scaled Ranisui (13,123 ft), Manali in 2016, trekked Mt Shitidhar (5,244m) in Manali in 2015 and summited Mt Stok Kangri (6153m/ 20,187ft) Sept 24, 2016. Chinmay also has participated in Biju Patnaik Himalayan Expedition. His aim is to popularise mountaineering in Odisha and to summit Mt Everest along with major peaks of other continents.
Recently, Chinmay successfully scaled Mount Yunam in Himalayan mountain range bringing glory to the state. The mountaineer conquered a height of 6,111 metre and reached the peak.
Sasmita Pradhan proved the saying – Mountain climbing is no woman’s work – wrong
Sasmita Pradhan is an apt role model for girls who want to make their career in mountaineering. She proved the age old saying ‘Mountain climbing is no woman’s work’ wrong by scaling mountains at an early age. A resident of Bhubaneswar, Sasmita used to be very adventurous when she was in college. Getting fascinated by the success of mountaineers, she wanted to see herself on the peak of mountains. And she did it by sheer determination.
Sharing her life changing moment, Sasmita says, “After completing my graduation from Kamala Nehru Women’s College, I was undecided over my career options. In 2016, I luckily attended a function where ace mountaineer Ganesh sir was invited as a guest. At the function he shared his success stories laced with struggles. I was so inspired by his tales that I decided to opt for a career in mountaineering. I collected Ganesh sir’s phone number and talked to him. It was Ganesh sir who guided me. I pursued a basic mountaineering course from an institute based in Jammu & Kashmir in 2016. In the same year, I succeeded in scaling the 14,500ft green top.”
She continues: “I find difficulties in breathing every time while climbing mountains but when I see the beauty of mountains I forget all my pain and sufferings. The pristine beauty of mountains is unmatched. The exhilaration, thrill, and sense of accomplishment you get when you climb, hike, or ski a mountain is unmatched. I just can’t realise when I reach the peak of mountains. I would like to owe my success to the blessing of my parents and teacher Ganesh sir.”
Sasmita who has been working as an adventure instructor for past five years at Manali Adventure Camp that includes activities like trekking, camping, rope skills, basics of rock climbing, is of the opinion that every mountaineer should make themselves prepared mentally and physically before six months of mountaineering or trekking. They should run 5-7 kilometres everyday to keep themselves fit to face the future challenges.
Sasmita, who has recently joined National Adventure Club, Chandigarh, says, “All I want is to generate interest among school and college students for mountain climbing to create a pool of mountaineers.”
Rashmi Rekha Das, OP