City’s Pranay Bandbuche conquers Mount Everest

By Paritosh Pramanik

PRANAY Bandbuche, a 30-year-old mountaineer from Nagpur has successfully scaled Mt Everest along with 13 foreigners, Monday morning. The team of 14 members, along with seven Sherpas, climbed the highest peak at 8.30 am and stood atop Mt Everest.
All the climbers are from Imagine Nepal Treks and found a second fair summit window on Mt Everest this spring season. Bandbuche was the only climber from India.
Apart from Nagpur’s Bandbuche, climbers who made it to the summit point include Flampouri Christina and Archontidou Vasiliki from Greece, Jia Lin Chang, Liu Yongzhong, Wang Xue Feng and Zeng Hui Wen from China, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Dawa Tenzin Sherpa, Tamting Sherpa, Lakpa Tamang, Dawa Gyalje Sherpa, Phurba Chhotar Sherpa and Dendi Sherpa.
Bandbuche, a member of CAC All-rounder, got training from Atal Behari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports. He also climbed one of the toughest Hanuman Tibba peak in the Dhauldar Range to become only and the youngest from the city to achieve the feat.
Representing India, Bandbuche also climbed world famous Mt Deo Tibba, Mt Sithidhar and Europe’s highest peak Mt Elbrus.
If not only mountaineering, Bandbuche is also a cycling frenetic. He has completed 200 and 300 kms Brevets that too within time limits 11 hr and 36 mins and 18 hours respectively. He hails from Kuhi, Umred and helps his father in farming.
CAC All-rounder, where Bandbuche is a member is all proud of his achievement. Director Amol Khante said, “It is really proud moment for all of us. He has proved to all of us that he has the courage and determination to conquer any peak.
“Being a witness to Pranay’s entire journey it’s a proud moment for all of us. His success again proves that if given opportunity then what a simple, village background youth can achieve. This will also motivate youths of our region to take up challenges in their life,” Khante told ‘The Hitavada’.
Mingma Gyalje Sherpa is the Managing Director at Imagine Nepal Treks. “Kili Pemba and Archontidou Vasiliki reached the summit point at 8:00 am while others scaled the mountain at 7:15 am,” he said.
“Imagine Nepal team was the only expedition which made the final summit push on Mt Everest today,” Gyanendra Shrestha, a liaison officer at the base camp, said. “More than 200 climbers have already headed to the high camps to make their final summit pushes starting tomorrow. The summit window may last for the next three-four days,” he said.
“The climbers have been descending to Camp IV after the summit,” Shrestha added.
The first two-day weather window was closed on April 16 after over 150 world climbers made it to the summit of Mt Everest. A team of rope-fixing Sherpa climbers had opened a climbing route to the top becoming the first team to stand atop the roof of the world on April 14.