Two mountaineers from Assam scaled the Mount Everest within a span of a week, Assam Mountaineering Association said today.
Manish Deka, a resident of Hatigorh Chariali here, today became the second climber from the state to reach the top of the Himalayas after another city youth, Tarun Saikia achieved the feat on May 18, a spokesman of Assam Mountaineering Association said here.
Deka scaled the peak at 5:30 am today and the news was conveyed to his family members by team leader L Surjit Singh.
Both Deka and Saikia are a part of the first North East Indian Everest Expedition, sponsored by the North East Council and Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association, and the expedition was flagged off by President Pranab Mukherjee on February 25.
Along with Deka and Saikia, four other climbers -- N Chingkheinganba, A Robert and N Bidyapati of Manipur and David Zohmang of Mizoram -- also scaled the Everest during the expedition.
The first expedition to the Everest from Assam had begun in 1969 when two Assamese mountaineers -- Rohini Kumar Bhuyan and Atanu Prasad Baruah -- attempted to scale the tallest peak but were unsuccessful.
Another mountaineer from Assam, Pranoy Bordoloi had attempted to reach the Everest in May last year but had to return from 4,500 feet away from the top due to inclement weather.
