Bengaluru climber to make another attempt for Everest

Bengaluru: Forced to abandon his Himalayan expedition last year owing to avalanches triggered by an earthquake, 33-year-old Satyarup Siddhanta (in pic) from the city is all set to resume his climb in April.

Now that the tourism ministry has decided to give Everest permits to climbers forced to abandon their quest for the peak last year, he is bent upon trying his luck again.

A consultant with private MNCs in the city,  Satyarup is preparing hard for his two-month Everest expedition, running six to 10 kms every morning, and  doing cardio, strength training. He also climbs the stairs of his apartment building by jumping up two stairs at a time.

“I do 100 squats, 120 push-ups  and other free-hand exercises as well. I know it is all very difficult but I have been obsessed with climbing Mount Everest and I am not letting anything get in the way,” says the young climber, who has experience climbing other mountains.

In fact, he successfully climbed the highest peak in the Alps , which is also the highest peak in  Western Europe, Mont Blanc,  on September 23, 2014 at 8:15 am France time.

Once an asthma patient, he is now over it through medication and sheer will power, he says.

Happy with the Nepal government’s decision to waive off the permit fee which would  have made the expedition more expensive, he is however, still looking for  sponsors.

"Last year the expedition cost us around Rs 14.50 lakh and this year it will cost even more, Rs  16.50 lakh. Of this 11,000 dollars have been waived off," explains the climbing enthusiast.