200 Metres From Glory - Rita Gombu Marwah

In 1984, Bachendri Pal became a household name when she conquered Mount Everest, becoming the first Indian woman to do so. Her success, however, cast a shadow over her teammates. Chandraprabha Aitwal, Rita Gombu, Rekha Sharma, Harshwanti Bisht, and Sharawati Prabhu also attempted the climb but fell short of the summit — and the ensuing stardom. 

Rita Gombu Marwah hails from the first family of Indian mountaineering. Her great-uncle, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, made history when he recorded the first documented ascent of Mount Everest along with Sir Edmund Hillary in May 1953. Rita’s father, Nawang Gombu Sherpa, was the first man to summit the world’s tallest peak twice. Driven by her heritage to love the mountains, Rita trained rigorously and was thrilled when she was named part of the 1984 expedition to Everest, a team of six Indian women  ...