Santosh Yadav dreams summitting Everest via 'fantasy route'

Varanasi, Nov 4 (UNI) The first and the only woman to have summitted the Everest twice in consecutive years, Santosh Yadav today said her ultimate dream was to climb the world's highest peak through the most difficult Eastern Ridge -- fondly termed as 'fantasy route' by Everesters.

Talking to UNI here, Santosh, who successfully conquered Everest in 1992 and 1993 thus breaking into the Guinness Book of World Records as the first and only woman climber to have scaled the Everest twice in consecutive years said, ''I am sure the dream to peak the Everest through the Eastern Ridge will be actualised one day.'' Santosh, interestingly, led a 12-member Indian team in 2001 to climb Everest through the Eastern Ridge, but the path was abandoned at a height of 22,400 feet, owing to inclement weather.

Of the 14 routes to reach the summit, only the Eastern Ridge route has never been successfully climbed since George Mallory and Andrew 'Sandy' Irvine first attempted to climb Everest in 1924. A Japanese team abandoned their attempt in the early 1990s after they found the route too difficult.

''Although looking after my two children is a priority for me, talks are on with a group, which can fund an expedition to climb Everest through the fantasy route in 2007. If not next year may be in 2008 or even later, but the highest peak will be climbed one day by me through the fantasy route,'' she averred.

The mountaineer, who after her world record feat was invited by the UN to become its Goodwill Ambassador in New York but, refused the offer paving the way for king of soccer Pele to grab the coveted assignment, has no regrets on losing the prized job.

''I only want to serve my country...if everyone becomes global who is going to serve India,'' Santosh said giving pep talk to a group of students from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and Kendriya Vidyalaya, undergoing a month long training camp at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to crack the IIT-JEE test.

Emboldening the 100 students hailing from rural areas of the country gathered under the auspices of Akhil Bharatiya Pratibha Utthan Abhiyan (ABPUA), she said ''if sheer determination can make a delicate and shy girl like me climb Everest, why cannot the same will power and perseverance do it for you all.'' Santosh, who completed a hat-trick of Everest triumphs in 1998, also highlighted the importance of Yoga and Vedic mantras in developing a steely resolve and advocated Yoga be made a compulsory subject in schools and colleges.

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