Sikkim’s Anand Gurung leads NE’s summiting of Everest

GANGTOK, 17 May: The 1st North East India on Top of the World [Mt Everest] Expedition team has successfully reached the summit of the highest peak of the world, Mt Everest [29,029 ft] this morning at 7:35 AM [Indian Standard Time].
Anand Gurung from Sikkim was the first to summit Mt Everest at 7:35 AM followed by Nima Lama from Arunachal Pradesh at 8:30 AM and finally by N Bidyapati Devi from Manipur at 9:30 AM. N Bidyapati is the first lady from Manipur to Summit the Mt Everest.
A press release from the PRO of the expedition, Santosh Shekhar informs that the expedition was flagged off from the historic Kangla by the Governor of Manipur, Gurbachan Jagar, on 25 February and subsequently by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee from Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on 20 March.
The release adds that for the remaining members of the leader of the Expedition, Dr L Surjit Singh, president MMTA, advised to make the attempt for summit tomorrow due to heavy wind condition. It is informed that other members of the team attempting the summit are currently waiting for the opportune weather conditions.
The teams had arrived at the Everest Base Camp on 5 April and have undergoing acclimatization during the acclimatization the team reached Camp III [24000 ft apprx] on 30 April. O Ibobi Singh is the Chief Patron and DS Poonia, IAS, Chief Secretary of Manipur is the Chef De-Mission of the expedition.
The press release mentions that with the successful summit, it will now be listed in the history of the region as the First Expedition exclusively of North East India mountaineers and being supported by the Government of India and State Governments to have scaled Mt Everest. It is further added that the mountaineers of the region now join the league of the best mountaineers in the world.
The 1st North East India top of the World Mt Everest Expedition is the first ever expedition comprising exclusively of mountaineers from six states of North East. Sixteen individual from different states are participating in the expedition including the support team.
The expedition is being funded by North Eastern Council, Shillong and supported by Planning Department, Government of Manipur and being implemented by Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association, Manipur.