IMPHAL, Aug 1 � For the first time in the history of climbing mountains by mountaineers of the north-eastern states, a group of 17 mountaineers from six NE states will be scaling Mount Everest, the world�s highest peak early next year.
�The first North East India on top of the world Expedition is the first ever Mt Everest expedition comprising team members from north east India,� said Chef De Mission DS Poonia, Chief Secretary of Manipur while briefing the media here this afternoon.
�This mission is to be funded by the North Eastern Council (NEC), Shillong and will be implemented by the Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association (MMTA).�
The expedition will be flagged off from Imphal in February 2013 and the second leg will be flagged off from New Delhi on March 20, 2013, MMTA president Dr L Surjit said.
The participants will undergo the final seasoning and team formation at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi between February and March next year.
The expedition is likely to make the historic summit between May 13 and 21 next year. The expedition includes Anshu Jamsenpa, the first lady from Arunachal Pradesh who has scaled Mt Everest twice, and the youngest Manipuri climber N Chingkheinganba, a 15-year-old schoolboy.
Other mountaineers of the team include Nima Lama (Arunachal Pradesh), Tarun Saikia and Manish Deka(Assam), Akum Yimchunger (Nagaland), Kazi Sherpa and Mohon Bishwakarma (Sikkim), Wangsuk Myrthong (Meghalaya), David Zohmangaiha and Vanlalliana (Mizoram), Puyamcha Mohon, Athokpam Robert, N Bidyapati Devi, Maibam Shantra and Dr Nelson (Manipur).
