Shimla: 29-year-old Chhonzin Angmo, a tribal woman from a remote village in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, hoisted the tricolor atop Mount Everest. With her remarkable feet, she became the first visually impaired Indian to conquer Mount Everest. Born in Chango village, located near the India-Tibet border, Angmo never let her blindness stand in the way of her dreams. She scripted history by also standing out as the 5th such person globally to scale Mt Everest.
Angmo Idolises Helen Keller
According to reports, Angmo considers Helen Keller as her role model and deeply resonates with her words of wisdom. Additionally, she idolises her father, Amar Chand, 79, who stood by her in this journey. Her next target is to conquer the highest peaks on each continent.” The news of Angmo planting the ‘Tiranga’ on Earth’s highest mountain has brought immense happiness and joy among the people of her village.
Who Is Chhonzin Angmo?
Chhonzin Angmo is a 29-year-old Himachali woman whose journey has been a roller-coaster ride with many ups and downs coming her way. She lost her eyesight at a very young age when she was in Class 3. In 2005-06, Angmo enrolled at Mahabodhi School and Hostel in Leh for Visually Impaired children. Despite her condition after a severe ‘medicine allergy’, she later earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Miranda House-Delhi University (MH-DU). Reports stated that she is currently working as a customer service associate with the Union Bank of India in Delhi.
Angmo’s Remarkable Feats
Earlier in October 2024, Angmo completed a trek to Everest base camp, the first visually-impaired woman from India to do so. Besides this, she has scaled Mt Kang Yatsae 2, located at an altitude of 6,250 metres in Ladakh, and an unnamed peak (6,000 metres in the UT). Her feats were even recognized by PM Modi in his radio program “Mann ki Baat” in which he praised her team. Notably, Angmo completed a basic mountaineering course from the Manali’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports in 2016, where she scaled the Friendship Peak, located at 5,289-metres.
Angmo’s extraordinary feat doesn’t end here! The young adventurer has cycled from Manali to Khardung La in just 10 days, covering about 5486 metres in 2018. In 2019, she also completed a cycling expedition through the Nilgiris region in 6 days across three states, braving extreme temperatures. Last year in July, Angmo embarked on a seven-day cycling expedition from Manali to Kalpa.
Over the years, she has been honoured with several awards and accolades, including the Sarvshresth Divyangjan National Award in 2024, from President Droupadi Murmu.
