Solan: Renowned mountaineer Baljeet Kaur, who scaled Mt Annapurna without supplementary oxygen, was given a grand welcome after she arrived at her home district Solan on Saturday. Addressing the journalists, Baljeet said she was the daughter of the mountains and cannot stay away from mountains for long. She said she now wants to spend three to four months with her parents as it has been almost six to seven years that she has not been able to spend time with them.
Baljeet was declared missing on April 18. Hours later she was rescued and admitted to a hospital in Katmandu for treatment. Narrating her descend from the 10th highest peak, Baljeet said the misadventure would not happened if an experienced sherpa was given to her. She claimed that she was initially given an experienced sherpa but he deserted her midway. After which, another experienced sherpa was assisgned to her who too left her and a porter was left alone to accompany her. Baljeet, however, did not lose courage and braving all challenges descended after climbing the peak.
She summitted the peak at 6 pm on April 17. However, her ardous journey where she remained without food, water and oxygen for 36 hours took a toll on her mental health. She said that she started having hallucinations and mountain sickness. But she focused on her journey back home. Without the help of any sherpa, she started descending. When she saw some lights near Base Camp 4, she tried to draw attention but failed. Then, she dialed emergency number via satellite following which a rescue team was sent for her.
Also read: Hours after reported dead by Minister, mountaineer Baljeet Kaur was found alive; rescue underway
Baljeet said the management should pay attention so as to ensure that mountaineers do not face such accidents in the future. "Mountains have taught me to walk, to fall and to rise. I can never leave the mountains", Baljeet said. When asked whether she would talk to the state government about getting government jobs, she said she would meet the chief minister and the ministers and request them so that people like her could get a separate identity.
