Lawyer becomes first Orissa woman to scale Everest

BHUBANESHWAR: An Orissa lawyer has become the first woman from the state to scale Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.

Kalpana Dash, 38, a resident of Kumbhar Sahi in Dhenkanal district, about 100 km from here, achieved the feat at 11.30 am on Wednesday from the south side of the 8,848 m  mountain, according to the Nepal-based Arun Treks & Expedition Pvt ltd.

Dash had made two earlier attempts to reach the peak. In May 2004, she climbed 7,300 m without oxygen. Two years later, she went up to 8,048 m, entering the death zone - an area marked by oxygen scarcity, sub-zero temperatures and hurricane winds.

Dash is part of a team of five who reached the summit at the same time, the website of the company said. They had set out on April 3.

The other members of the team are Canadian Ryszard Kurdziel and Nepal's Lhakpa Rangdu Sherpa, Kusang Tenzing Sherpa and Ngima Nuru Sherpa.