Patiala, May 5: Sukhvir Kaur, a 43-year-old native of Patiala’s Chahal village, has made history as the first Punjabi woman to summit Mount Ama Dablam in Nepal. Standing at 6,812 meters, the peak is considered one of the most challenging climbs in the Himalayan range. Kaur, who currently serves as a prison officer in Sydney, Australia, reached the summit on April 15 after a grueling six-day expedition.
The achievement was celebrated during a felicitation ceremony in Bathinda, where Kaur described the immense physical and mental hurdles she faced. During the climb, an avalanche forced her team to retreat from Camp-3. Kaur stated that she spent approximately 35 hours surviving on only two biscuits while navigating the high-altitude environment.
“Marriage is not the end of dreams,” Kaur affirmed while sharing her journey with local residents. She noted that her in-laws from Barnala provided complete support for her mountaineering ambitions, which began only three years ago. To mark her cultural heritage, Kaur hoisted a ‘Chitti Chunni’ at the peak and carried a photograph of her parents for inspiration.
Kaur, who has previously appeared as an actress in Punjabi cinema, led a diverse team of climbers from 11 different countries during this mission. She stated that she is the 25th Australian woman and the sixth Indian woman to conquer the peak. Following her successful ascent of Lobuche Peak and now Ama Dablam, she declared that her next objective is to scale Mount Everest. Olympian shooter Avneet Kaur Sidhu was among the prominent figures who honored her at the event organized by the Punjabi Adventures Club.
