Baljeet Kaur, a mountaineer from Himachal Pradesh, has been awarded the prestigious Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award, the nation’s highest honour for achievements in adventure sports. Despite this significant national recognition, Kaur expressed disappointment over the lack of acknowledgement from her home state government and individuals.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the Solan-based mountaineer received the award from President Droupadi Murmu. However, Kaur stated that the indifference shown towards her accomplishment in Himachal Pradesh has cast a shadow on one of the most significant moments of her career. She remarked that the absence of any congratulatory messages or calls from the state government or any individual was disheartening.
Kaur further elaborated that this lack of appreciation for mountaineering is not an isolated incident but reflects a broader trend of insufficient support for the sport within Himachal Pradesh. She suggested that this may be a contributing factor to why many nationally recognized mountaineers hail from other states rather than her own.
Despite the perceived lack of state-level recognition and support, Baljeet Kaur has established herself as one of the country’s most accomplished mountaineers. Her list of achievements includes summiting Mount Everest twice. Notably, she holds the distinction of being the first Indian woman to conquer both Mount Everest and Mount Lhotse within a remarkably short period of 25 hours and 20 minutes. Additionally, Kaur ascended five mountains exceeding 8,000 metres in just 30 days, a feat that makes her the first Indian to achieve such a distinction.
Detailing the complexity of her accomplishments, Kaur emphasized the extreme difficulty of climbing five peaks over 8,000 metres within a month, noting that only a select number of mountaineers globally have accomplished this. She explained that typically, summiting a mountain of such altitude requires more than a month.
Among her most perilous expeditions was the 2023 summit of Mount Annapurna. The mountaineer described the final 1,200-metre ascent as exceptionally steep and lengthy, compounded by a scarcity of facilities and volatile weather conditions, making the mountain particularly challenging to conquer. Kaur successfully reached the summit but went missing during her descent, becoming stranded alone at an altitude above 7,000 metres for several hours before a timely rescue. This near-death experience, however, did not diminish her passion for mountaineering.
The harrowing experience, she stated, did not instill fear. Kaur has continued to climb numerous mountains, including Mount Everest, since the incident. She believes the event enhanced her awareness of mountain conditions and strengthened her confidence in her own judgment.
Kaur acknowledged that it was a challenge to persuade her family to permit her return to mountaineering. However, she eventually succeeded by communicating her perspective that while mortality is a universal possibility, ceasing to pursue her passion would lead to a loss of her inherent drive and energy, rendering life less meaningful for her.
When not engaged in expeditions, Baljeet Kaur dedicates her time to mentoring aspiring mountaineers through her company, where she provides training and guidance. Her mission extends beyond climbing; her organization also conducts environmental campaigns aimed at preserving the pristine condition of mountains and their surroundings, an aspect she stresses as critically important.
Mountaineering, for Baljeet Kaur, is not solely a passion but also a profound teacher. While her pursuits take her to the world’s highest peaks, she views the mission as complete only upon a safe return. She philosophically reflects that the ascent and descent of mountains mirror the challenges and triumphs of life, fostering a sense of peace and mitigating insecurities by acknowledging that every peak eventually leads to a descent.
The Chenab Times News Desk
