Graphic Era Online expresses its profound grief and condolences on the untimely demise of the daughter & pride of Uttarakhand, Ms. Savita Kanswal.
Born as the youngest of four sisters in a small village called Lothru in Uttarkashi, Ms Savita, a noted mountaineer, never let her humble origins keep her from conquering her dreams. She chose mountaineering, a male-dominated sport and carved a niche for herself in it despite financial, patriarchal and other challenges.
In 2021, Ms Savita achieved the distinction of becoming the second woman mountaineer from India to hoist the Indian tricolour on the fourth highest mountain in the world, Mt. Lohtse. In 2022, she took the entire nation by storm when she became the first woman from India to summit Mt. Everest and Mt. Makalu, the highest & fifth highest peaks of the world, in record time of 16 days.
The record-setter mountaineer had a keen desire to scale great heights in the education frontier as well. Thus, she enrolled in Graphic Era University’s Online MBA Program in 2022. However, before this vision could materialise, she left for her heavenly abode during a natural disaster that is being described as a rarity (first such mishap in the area in over five decades).
Ms Savita was one of the seven instructors who had accompanied a group of 34 trainee climbers to Draupadi ka Danda Peak-2 (Uttarkashi) when an avalanche hit them while returning (after summiting) & took her life. The expedition was undertaken as a part of the National Institute of Mountaineering’s (NIM) advance training course.
The ace mountaineer may no longer be physically present between us anymore, but she will live in our memories forever. We are sure that be it toiling in the field to support her family, working in the café to finance her passion for mountaineering, or battling the societal voices that tried to sway her away from her path, Ms Savita’s uphill journey will serve as an inspiration for millions of other girls who dare to dream and persevere.
It will not be an overstatement when we say that Ms Savita’s short but historic life is a proof of that fact that if you possess the determination to achieve something, no mountain will ever be high enough, literally and figuratively.
The tragedy has caused an irreparable loss, we will never forget the glory and laurels you brought to the nation! Rest in peace, braveheart! Om shanti!
