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Gorakhpur's Divya Singh has created history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the Mount Everest Base Camp by bicycle and hoist the flag at an altitude of 17,560 feet.
On March 24, 2026, Divya became the first Indian woman--and the second woman globally--to reach the base camp of the world's highest peak, Mount Everest (at an altitude of 17,560 feet), by bicycle. At that time, the temperature at the Everest Base Camp stood at -12 degrees Celsius. Divya's cycling expedition commenced on March 16, 2026, from Kathmandu. The journey took her through Kathmandu, Salleri, Surkhe, Phakding, Sagarmatha National Park, Namche Bazaar, Deboche, Pheriche, Lobuche, and Gorak Shep, before finally reaching the Mount Everest Base Camp. The entire cycling expedition took a total of 14 days. Speaking to ANI, Divya shared that during her trek to Mount Everest Base Camp about a year and a half ago, she learned that no Indian woman had ever reached there by bicycle. This inspired her to take on the challenge herself. "Ever since I got to know about Mount Everest, I have wanted to see it in person. About one and a half years ago, I went trekking to the Mount Everest Base Camp and got to know that no woman has ever reached there by bicycle, and it occurred to me that I should try this," she said. She said the journey was challenging due to high-altitude conditions, which caused issues like motion sickness, low oxygen levels, rapid heartbeat, and other physical difficulties. "It was not easy; there were difficulties. When you reach high altitude, the entire environment changes. Your body reacts differently. You experience motion sickness, lack of oxygen, fast heartbeat and other environmental challenges," said Divya. Divya's mentor, Kumar Singh, reiterated that although many people have reached Mount Everest Base Camp, no Indian woman had done so on a bicycle. Taking it as a challenge, Divya took it as a personal mission and began intense training, preparing her body for the challenge and ultimately achieving remarkable success. Notably, Divya hails from the village of Banauda, under the post office of Amtoura, in the Piprauli Block of Gorakhpur District. Divya's father, Santraj Singh, is a farmer, while her mother, Urmila Singh, is a government school teacher. (ANI)
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