Mamta Sodha

Mamta Sodha is an Indian sportsperson, known for her successful 2010 attempt to scale Mount Everest. She was honoured by the Government of India, in 2014, by bestowing on her the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for her services to the field of mountaineering sport.

Biography

Mamta Sodha was born on 1 November 1979, at Kaithal, in the state of Haryana, in India, in a family with poor financial resources, as the eldest of three girls and two boys.

Mamta did her schooling at a local school in Kaithal and college studies at the RKSD College, Kaithal from where she secured her graduate degree, getting high grades. Prior to embarking on the project, she scaled a few other peaks. She was a member of the IMF Golden Jubilee expedition team that scaled Phawararang Peak in July 2008. The team was led by the legendary Apa Sherpa, who held the world record of 19 successful climbs of Mount Everest. The team spent 40 days at Khumbu Glacier, where the team had set up their base camp, for acclimatisation. The route was the traditional South Col route in Nepal. The team, after periodic stop overs at three or four camps en route, finally reached the top around 20 May 2010. At 10.24 am, on 22 May, 2010, Mamta Sodha summited Mount Everest.

Apart from being a mountaineer, Mamta Sodha excelled in handball, too.

Awards and recognitions Padma Shri – Government of India – 2014 Cash Award 2.1 million – Government of Haryana – 2010 Certificate of successful Ascent on Idland (Imja-tse) Peak – Nepal Mountaineering Association – 2010