Mountaineer Wangsuk Myrthong (left) waters a sapling at Raj Bhavan in Shillong on Wednesday. Picture by UB Photos

Shillong, June 5: She went, she saw and she conquered.

Meghalaya Police Battalion constable Wangsuk Myrthong, 30, who returned yesterday to her hometown after conquering Mt Everest, the world’s highest peak, on the morning of May 18, has now etched her name on the sprawling lawns of Raj Bhavan here.

Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary who felicitated the first woman Everester from the state here this evening, made Wangsuk plant a sapling at the Raj Bhavan lawns coinciding with celebrations of World Environment Day.

After giving Mooshahary a brief narration of the eventful expedition to the highest peak, Wangsuk planted a sapling of Maidenhair tree on the lawns near the governor’s drawing room.

“To commemorate your achievement, this sapling will be planted in your honour. This tree will grow for at least 3,000 years,” Mooshahary told Wangsuk who was accompanied by battalion commandant A.R. Mawthoh.

Before that, the governor and his wife had planted a sapling each towards the edge of Raj Bhavan. Mooshahary asked Wangsuk to come to the governor’s house often to look after the plants.

Mawthoh informed him that a proposal had been sent to the government to give an out-of-turn promotion to the Everester. The proposal envisages promoting Wangsuk to the rank of assistant sub-inspector.

Wangsuk is the second individual from the state to have scaled Mt Everest, 8,848 metres above sea level, the first being Gary Jarman Lamare, a photographer with Discovery Channel who conquered the peak in May last year.

Wangsuk was among 16 climbers of the first Northeast India Top of the World Mount Everest Expedition, 2013, which was flagged off by President Pranab Mukherjee from Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 20. While narrating to Mooshahary about the difficulties she had faced to conquer the highest peak, Wangsuk expressed her elation that she could fulfil her dream.

To a query raised by Mooshahary, she replied: “I was atop for not more than 10 minutes. I had tears in my eyes as my dream was fulfilled and I prayed to give thanks to the Almighty.”

Wangsuk’s achievement was also highlighted by chief minister Mukul Sangma at the chief ministers’ meeting on internal security held in New Delhi today.

“I would like to mention that we have had the proud distinction of having Wansuk Myrthong, a woman constable of Meghalaya police, who successfully made it to the summit of Mt Everest. The lady constable was a member of the first Northeast India Everest Expedition team, which scaled the peak recently. We propose to reward her appropriately for this magnificent feat,” Sangma said at the meeting.