- Odia Women Mountaineers Scale 20,100-Ft Peak in Historic Expedition
Bhubaneswar, August 16, 2026: A new chapter has been added to Odisha’s mountaineering and adventure sports history as five women members of an 11-member mountaineering team from Odisha successfully scaled the 20,100-ft Mount Yunam in Himachal Pradesh and hoisted the national flag on August 15, marking Independence Day.
The team also unfurled an 80-metre-long Tricolour at the summit, creating a proud moment of patriotism and national pride. The successful summit on Independence Day was a memorable and emotional moment for the entire team.
Under the guidance of Everest climber Ganesh Jena and the leadership of Anita Swain, the 11-member women’s team embarked on the expedition from Odisha on August 7 with the objective of scaling Mount Yunam. Despite the challenging Himalayan terrain, extreme altitude and adverse conditions, the team demonstrated remarkable courage, discipline, determination and team spirit.
Three other members of the team also reached very close to the summit but could not complete the final ascent due to illness.
Team leader Anita Swain said, “Mount Yunam is not just a mountain peak for us; it represents the courage, confidence and determination of the women of Odisha. The successful summit and hoisting of the Tricolour on Independence Day is a matter of immense pride for us. The expedition being completed with zero accidents makes the achievement even more special.”
Ganesh Jena, editor of ‘AASHA’ and an Everest climber, said the success was the result of prolonged training, fitness, endurance, altitude acclimatisation and mountaineering discipline. He described the successful summit by five members of the 11-member team as a major achievement.
Shubhashish Tripathy, Managing Director, Sanket Communications, said, “This achievement is much more than a mountaineering expedition; it is an inspiring example of women’s empowerment, courage, patriotism and determination. By hoisting the Tricolour atop Mount Yunam, these women have taken the pride of Odisha to the heights of the Himalayas.”
Haresh Kumar Mishra, Vice-President of ‘AASHA’, said, “The success of the Mount Yunam expedition marks the beginning of a new chapter in Odisha’s adventure sports landscape. It will especially inspire women and young people to push their limits and dream bigger.”
The successful ascent of five women to the 20,100-ft Mount Yunam summit, the hoisting of the 80-metre-long Tricolour, and the completion of the expedition with zero accidents mark a proud milestone in Odisha’s women’s mountaineering and adventure sports history.
