Mountain Queen: Bachendri Pal

The inspiring journey of ace climber Bachendri Pal to the roof of the world in 1984 and her later expeditions will be chronicled in a book on Indian women, prepared by Union ministry of external affairs to present foreign dignitaries.

The book, named Indian Woman, portrays the lives of 33 iconic women personalities.

Interestingly, besides Padma Shri awardee Bachendri, another Everester has also made it to this prestigious book.

She is India’s first amputee Everester Arunima Sinha.

Arunima, who lost a leg while resisting goons in a chain-snatching attempt inside a train in 2011, climbed the world’s tallest peak in 2013, after being trained by Bachendri for over a year.

Copies of the book will be presented to foreign dignitaries visiting India. Indian diplomats visiting other countries will also gift the book to their hosts.

The ministry has roped in Wisdom Tree, a New-Delhi-based publishing house to print the book.

Bachendri expressed happiness over being chosen as one of the few women to represent the country. “It’s an honour for me and other women whose stories will be told in the gift book,” said the 59-year-old chief of Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF).

Bachendri added that the book would contain in brief stories from her life as a mountaineer.

“I came to know about my selection via a recent e-mail from Delhi-based journalist Papri Sri Raman,” she said.

Raman interviewed Bachendri in December last year for her upcoming book The Himalayan Journey.

Bachendri, who is heading to Uttarkashi soon for conducting the outdoor leadership programme of Tata Steel Adventure Foundation, is also the subject of a short film prepared by UN Women and Delegation of the European Union to India.

The documentary will be screened at a conference organised by the twin outfits in New Delhi on March 10 to mark International Women’s Day.

The film, which portrays Bachendri’s efforts to empower women, will be shot in Jamshedpur later this week. “I will try to spare time and attend the conference. I may need to rejig my schedule at Uttarkashi,” smiled Bachendri.