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Santosh Yadav


Santosh Yadav (born 10 October 1967) is an Indian mountaineer from the village of Joniyawas in , , who achieved distinction as the first woman in the world to climb twice, summiting the peak on 12 May 1992 and again on 10 May 1993. Her expeditions demonstrated exceptional endurance and skill in high-altitude mountaineering, following rigorous training at institutions such as the , where she honed her abilities after initially pursuing medical studies. Yadav's accomplishments extended to other Himalayan ascents and leadership roles in climbing teams, earning her recognition including the civilian award from the .

Early Life

Family Background and Upbringing

Santosh Yadav was born on 10 October 1967 in Joniyawas, a remote village in the of , , into an affluent family rooted in traditional rural Haryanvi customs. As the youngest of six children and the only among five brothers, she grew up in a patriarchal household where societal norms strongly favored early for girls over or personal ambition. In this conservative environment, her family intended to arrange her marriage at age 14, reflecting entrenched gender biases and taboos against educating females in rural Haryana during the era. Yadav, however, rejected these expectations, enrolling in a local school despite the 5-kilometer daily walk and prevailing opposition, marking an early assertion of independence amid familial and communal pressures to conform to domestic roles. Her upbringing instilled resilience, as she navigated a rigidly gender-biased society that viewed female pursuits beyond household duties as unconventional, setting the foundation for her later defiance of norms through self-reliance and .

Education and Pursuit of

At the age of sixteen, Santosh Yadav confronted intense familial and societal expectations in her conservative village to marry early, a norm for girls at the time. She firmly resisted, informing her parents that she would never marry without the opportunity for proper , thereby prioritizing personal autonomy over . This resolve prompted her to depart from home and enroll in a school in to continue her studies. Her parents, adhering to cultural conventions, initially refused to fund her education due to her defiance of expected roles. Yadav demonstrated self-sufficiency by taking up part-time work to cover her schooling expenses, underscoring her commitment to independence. After completing high school, she advanced to Maharani College in , where she earned a in while preparing for the examinations.

Entry into Mountaineering

Initial Exposure and Training

Santosh Yadav's initial interest in emerged during her college years in , where she observed villagers scaling the nearby Aravalli Hills from her hostel window, prompting her to explore the activity firsthand. This encounter evolved when she met experienced mountaineers in the hills, whose explanations of the challenges and rewards of climbing inspired her to pursue it as a despite familial opposition rooted in traditional expectations for women in her village. Defying her parents, she saved money from her allowances and enrolled in a basic mountaineering course at the in , , reportedly running away from home to attend the expedition around 1988. At the institute, Yadav experienced snow and high-altitude terrain for the first time, marking a pivotal shift from her flatland upbringing in . The rigorous training emphasized foundational skills such as rope work, techniques, crampon usage, and endurance building through progressively demanding treks and simulations of conditions. Completing the basic course, she advanced to higher levels, honing physical resilience and technical proficiency that laid the groundwork for her future expeditions, all while balancing her medical studies. This self-funded initiation, undertaken without institutional support, underscored her determination amid societal constraints on female participation in adventure sports.

Motivations and Preparation

Yadav's interest in arose during her adolescence in , where proximity to the Aravalli hills exposed her to local climbers ascending rugged terrain, igniting a desire to explore such physical challenges as an assertion of personal agency amid conservative family expectations. She viewed climbing not merely as recreation but as a pathway to , contrasting with traditional roles she rejected by pursuing away from home. Initial preparation involved informal practice on nearby hills, where Yadav accompanied experienced trekkers to build endurance and basic navigation skills, transitioning from passive observation to active participation. Recognizing the need for structured expertise, she self-funded enrollment at the in around 1989–1990, traveling directly from her studies in after accumulating savings. At the institute, her regimen encompassed intensive physical conditioning, ropework proficiency, ice axe handling, and acclimatization drills simulating high-altitude conditions, enabling rapid progression to advanced certifications and expedition readiness within months. This foundational training emphasized and , attributes she credited for subsequent successes, while her prior hill treks provided the mental resilience to endure the institute's demanding curriculum.

Major Expeditions

1992 Mount Everest Ascent

Santosh Yadav, serving as an inspector in the (ITBP), participated in the ITBP's 1992 expedition targeting the side via the South Col-Southeast Ridge route. On May 12, 1992, at the age of 24, she reached the summit, marking her as the second Indian woman to do so following Bachendri Pal's ascent in 1984 and establishing her as the youngest woman to summit Everest at that time. During the expedition, Yadav exhibited critical support for teammates amid harsh conditions, sharing her limited oxygen supply with fellow climber Mohan , who was suffering from oxygen deprivation, thereby saving his life. She also provided aid to another distressed climber at but could not prevent his death despite her efforts. These actions underscored her commitment to team welfare in the extreme environment of high-altitude , where oxygen scarcity and rapid weather changes pose severe risks.

1993 Mount Everest Ascent

In 1993, Santosh Yadav participated in an Indo-Nepalese women's expedition to , attempting the challenging route on the mountain's east side, which is less frequently climbed due to its technical difficulties and exposure to avalanches. This route, first successfully ascended in 1983, represented a departure from the more common approach used in her 1992 climb. Yadav reached the summit on May 10, 1993, becoming the first woman in the world to scale twice. Her second ascent, accomplished within a year of the first, underscored her exceptional endurance and skill, as repeat summits in such a short timeframe were rare at the time. Additionally, this climb marked her as the first woman to summit via the , highlighting the expedition's pioneering nature in promoting alternative routes for female climbers.

Other Climbing Achievements

Prior to her Everest ascents, Yadav participated in the 1989 nine-nation international climbing camp-cum-expedition to the Nun-Kun massif in the range, where she successfully summited Mount White Needle, standing at approximately 6,600 meters. This climb marked an early demonstration of her high-altitude capabilities in challenging terrain. She also summited , the second-highest peak in the Siachen Muztagh range at 7,672 meters, recognized as one of India's most formidable unclimbed peaks at the time of her ascent. Additionally, Yadav reached the summit of Abi Gamin, a 7,355-meter peak in the , further honing her skills in extreme conditions. Yadav climbed , Japan's highest peak at 3,776 meters, as part of her broader experience. These expeditions, conducted in the late and early , served as critical preparation for her later high-profile endeavors, emphasizing her progression from regional Himalayan challenges to global icons.

Professional Career

Civil Service and Sports Administration

Santosh Yadav served as an officer in the (ITBP), a central force tasked with border guarding along the India-China frontier and high-altitude security operations. Selected through a competitive examination, she joined the ITBP around 1991, where the force's emphasis on training supported her early climbing endeavors. During her tenure, Yadav advanced her professional skills, leveraging ITBP resources for expeditions, but resigned as an in 1992 to pursue full-time climbing, including her historic ascents. Her departure was amid some controversy regarding force protocols for extended leaves, though she maintained ties as a former officer. Post-resignation, Yadav has engaged in sports administration by leading national-level adventure initiatives and promoting training, particularly for women, through motivational sessions and expedition oversight. She has interacted with ITBP personnel to share experiences and encourage high-altitude sports participation within the force. Her efforts focus on building resilience and skills in adventure sports, drawing from her expertise to foster broader adoption in .

Environmental and Social Contributions

Yadav demonstrated environmental commitment during her Himalayan expeditions by single-handedly collecting and descending with approximately 500 kilograms of garbage abandoned by prior trekkers, thereby mitigating pollution in ecologically sensitive high-altitude regions. This initiative underscored her advocacy for responsible practices amid growing concerns over waste accumulation on peaks like , where expeditions often leave behind oxygen cylinders, tents, and . In social spheres, Yadav has supported initiatives in rural , participating in the Women's Health and Empowerment for Prosperity and Social Change program, which focuses on , economic opportunities, and challenging traditional barriers to female . Drawing from her own defiance of village customs that pressured early marriage over education, she promotes access to schooling and skill-building for girls, serving as a to counteract gender-based restrictions prevalent in conservative communities. Through her roles in sports administration, Yadav has advanced equity in adventure activities by mentoring female aspirants, organizing training expeditions, and encouraging participation in to foster and among women from underprivileged backgrounds. Her efforts align with broader aims to expand opportunities beyond domestic roles, leveraging her achievements to inspire systemic shifts in societal attitudes toward female ambition and physical endeavor.

Recognition and Legacy

Awards and Honors

Santosh Yadav received the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award in 1994 for her contributions to land adventure and , recognizing her successful ascents of . In 2000, she was conferred the , India's fourth-highest civilian honor, by the for her pioneering achievements in and promoting adventure sports among women.

Criticisms and Broader Impact

Santosh Yadav has criticized the commercialization of expeditions, linking it to increased fatalities by arguing that novice climbers bypass rigorous preparation and traditional protocols. In September 2016, she highlighted how deviations from established methods, such as failing to acclimatize by climbing to at least 7,000 meters before summit attempts, foster unsafe practices and inflated summit claims. She has also condemned the on the mountain, observing extensive trash accumulation from expeditions during her 1992 and 1993 ascents, which she attributes to climbers neglecting waste removal obligations. Her dual summits of in 1992 and 1993 established her as a , significantly boosting female participation in by demonstrating feasibility for women from rural, conservative backgrounds. This achievement elevated India's profile in global , inspiring subsequent generations and prompting greater investment in national training programs. Yadav's advocacy extends to youth education, where she integrates mountaineering lessons with ecology, health management, and to foster resilience and responsibility. Her role as a and administrator has amplified these efforts, contributing to broader cultural shifts toward gender equity in adventure sports within .

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