‘Pushed to death, but I made it': Tamil Nadu woman scales all 7 continental peaks, survives storm atop Denali
CHENNAI: On June 16, atop North America's Mount McKinley, N Muthamizh Selvi became the first person from Tamil Nadu to conquer the highest peaks on all seven continents.
A native of Johilpatti village in Virudhunagar district, Muthamizh Selvi teaches Japanese in Chennai. Her great climb began in May 2023 when she became the first woman from Tamil Nadu to scale
Mount Everest
.
And in just the next two years, she would complete the 'Seven Summits' challenge Europe's Mount Elbrus (July 2023) Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro (Sept 2023) South America's Mount Aconcagua (Feb 2024) Australia's Mount Kosciuszko (March 2024) Antartica's Mount Vinson (Dec 2024) and finally Mount McKinley.
Called Denali by Native American people, meaning 'the tall one', it's where Muthamizh Selvi faced some of her biggest challenges.
"I had to carry an 80kg bag with me. It would keep pushing me backwards," she told TOI. "And after reaching the summit, we had to sleep there, in the freezing cold, without a tent, for 16 hours straight because of heavy winds."
And that, Muthamizh Selvi says, pushed her close to death. "I developed a splitting headache because of the winds. If I had bled, that would have been my end. It's a miracle I survived," she said.
Muthamizh Selvi climbed the mountain with Shaikh Hassan Khan who works for the Kerala secretariat.
"When we were caught in the storm, Shaikh contacted Kerala govt through his satellite phone, after which Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan alerted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We then found Indian Embassy staff waiting for us at the base camp with medical aid," Muthamizh Selvi said. "We had to walk for 18 hours to reach the base camp.
"
It took almost 2 crore for Muthamizh Selvi to scale the seven mountains. She was supported by state development authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT).
Hailing Muthamizh Selvi's achievement, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi posted on X: "It is an inspiration for crores of women in India to reach their peaks."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
UP to showcase cultural heritage at Japan Tourism Expo
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh will showcase its rich cultural, spiritual and natural heritage at the Japan Tourism Expo 2025 scheduled from Sep 25 to 28, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday. The UP tourism department will participate with a powerful and strategic presence, highlighting the state's heritage to a global audience, particularly visitors and investors from Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. Officials said a themed pavilion spanning 54sqm will be set up at the venue. It will use advanced technology like digital LED screens, auto-navigation displays and AR-based selfie panels to offer an immersive experience. Visitors will also get a glimpse of the state's handicrafts, culture, music and festivals, enriching their overall experience. "Information about UP's top tourist destinations will be shared with Japanese visitors. To facilitate this, special booklets will be printed in both English and Japanese. Visitors will also be able to access details and make bookings through the UP-Tourism Department's mobile app," said the official. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo A major focus will be on the Buddhist Circuit (Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Kaushambi, Sankisa and Kapilvastu), which is expected to attract Japanese Buddhist tourists. Additionally, Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, and rural tourism will be promoted to match the health and spiritual interests of Japanese travellers, the official added. Parallelly, the third edition of the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show (UPITS-2025) will also reflect the state's vibrant heritage. A 465sqm pavilion at India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida will host live demonstrations of traditional folk art, classical dances and showcases of the famed Buddhist circuit — all curated to draw attention from global visitors.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Four jumbos to fly from Bannerughatta Biological Park to Japanese zoo today
Bengaluru: Scripting a new chapter in the on-site conservation of animals, Bannerughatta Biological Park (BBP) is all set to exchange four elephants with a Japanese zoo. According to the officials, this will be the first-ever export of animals from BBP. The four Asian elephants, including one male and three female jumbos, will start their journey Thursday to Himeji Central Park-Safari Park at Himeji in Japan. The exchange of animals is part of a larger multi-exchange programme, where BBP will receive four cheetahs, jaguars, and puma along with three chimpanzees and eight black-capped capuchin monkeys. The elephants chosen for exchange include Suresh (8), Gowri (9), Shruthi (7), and Tulsi (5). According to an official release, the jumbos will be transported through a Qatar Airways cargo plane from Kempegowda International Airport to Kansai International Airport, Osaka. After 20 hours of journey, the jumbos will land at Himeji on Friday. "Jumbos were trained for the last six months and certified as fit by the veterinarians for travel. Two veterinarians each from Himeji and BBP will accompany the jumbos to Japan along with four animal keepers, one supervisor, and a biologist. Eight of our officials will camp at Himeji for two weeks to train the elephants in the new environment," explained a senior BBP official. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
First exports from BBP: Four Asian elephants head to Japan
The Bannerughatta Biological Park (BBP), Bengaluru, is all set to make its first export in its history of animal exchanges. A batch of four Asian elephants - one male and three females - will be sent to Himeji Central Park - Safari Park, Himeji, Japan. Suresh, 8, Gowri, 9, Shruthi, 7, and Tulsi, 5, are being sent after the park got the necessary approvals from the Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi and other departments, said the BBP in a release. 'The exchange is a part of a larger multi exchange programme, where in return, the park will receive four cheetahs, four jaguars, four pumas, three chimpanzees and eight black-capped capuchins. The elephants will be transported through a Qatar Airways cargo plane from Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru to Kansai International Airport, Osaka on July 24 and 25. The total transportation time will be around approximately 20 hours from Bannerughatta Biological Park to Himeji Central Park - Safari Park,' the release added. The park said that the animals have been are trained for the past six months for this transportation and are cleared for good health to make the journey. The animals will be accompanied by two veterinary doctors from Himeji Central Park and two veterinary officers from Bannerughatta Biological Park, four keepers, one supervisor and one biologist from Bannerughatta Biological Park. A total of eight persons from Bannerughatta Biological Park will visit and stay at the Himeji Central Park for two weeks to train the elephants to acclimatise to the new environment, the release added. 'Further, elephant keepers of Himeji Central Park were also trained in Bannerughatta Biological Park for around 20 days from May 12 to 25, 2025. All the preparations for logistics, feed and veterinary care are in readiness to take up this historic journey. The addition of Asian Elephants to Himeji Central Park - Safari Park is a great opportunity for the people of Japan to visit the park and appreciate the gentle giants for their charisma and intelligence,' the release added. Surya Sen A.V. Deputy Conservator of Forests and Executive Director, Bannerughatta Biological Park, told The Hindu that every country has its own management practices and animal welfare guidelines and the Japanese are well advanced and have a different set of practices wherein animals are trained without physical intervention. This will be the second batch of exchange of elephants to Japan after three elephants were sent to Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park, Japan in May 2021 from Mysuru Zoo.
