Priyanka Mohite become the first Indian woman to scale five peaks above 8,000 metres

• Image Credit: Internet

• May 9, 2022 | Dhupali Das

The 30-year-old climbed the world's third-highest peak at 4:42 p.m. on May 5, according to news agency IANS.

Digital Desk: Priyanka Mohite from the Satara district of Maharashtra has become the first Indian woman to climb five peaks above 8000 metres. Reportedly, Priyanka reached the milestone after conquering Mount Kanchenjunga on Thursday. The 30-year-old climbed the world's third-highest peak at 4:42 p.m. on May 5, according to news agency IANS.

Her brother informed the news of her achievement. Priyanka, who works for a Bengaluru-based pharmaceutical research firm, also received the prestigious Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award in 2020.

Mohite climbed Mount Everest in 2013, Mount Lhotse in 2018, Mount Makalu in 2019, and Annapurna 1 in 2021. She is also the first woman from India to climb Annapurna 1 and Makalu.

"There are 14 8000m-plus height mountains globally, out of which seven are in Nepal, two in China, and five in Pakistan. We can't climb in Pakistan as Indians. After climbing Mount Everest in 2013, I chose to climb these difficult 8000-meter mountains as there are so few Indian mountaineers who have done so. Today, women are also climbing, but only a small percentage of them take this challenge," Mohite said to a news agency.

Notably, she climbed the second mountain in 2018 after Nepal was hit by snowfall in 2014 and an earthquake in 2015. Priyanka had planned to climb Mount Kanchenjunga in 2020 but could not do so due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Mohite began mountain climbing as a teenager in Maharashtra's Shayadri region. Priyanka climbed Bandarpunch in 2012. Bandrapunch is situated in the mountain massif of Uttarakhand's Garhwal division. Priyanka climbed Mt. Menthosa, which is 6443 metres above sea level, in 2015. It is the second-highest peak in the Lahaul and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh.