3-member women team of India, Nepal, China set out to summit Mt Everest

For the first time, a three-member team of women climbers from India, Nepal and China on Tuesday set out to scale the world's highest peak, Mt Everest, to spread the message of women empowerment, world peace and friendship.

The expedition, supported by the Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign of the Nepal Tourism Board, was flagged off at a function here.

The three women who will climb the 8848-metre Everest are Kalpana Dash from India, Kanchhi Maya Tamang from Nepal and Liyamu Ma from China.

World's renowned mountaineer and six Guinness world records holder Pemba Dorje Sherpa, who has successfully climbed the summit 18 times, will guide the women while another world record holder Sherpa Phurba Tenjing will also help the team in their expedition, the Nepal Tourism Board said.

"This type of expedition has been organised for the first time in the history of Everest expedition. It will give a message to women of the region that they are capable of carrying out adventure activities, and also inspire them to visit Nepal to take part in such activities," the Board said in a statement.

The women left for Ramechap to take their flight to Lukla, the gate way to the Everest base camp on Wednesday.

All three women have already summited the Everest in the past.

Dash has climbed Mt Everest in 2008 as a team leader, apart from climbing six other highest peaks in India, Nepal, Europe, South America and Australia.

Tamang is the first woman of her community to successfully climb the world's highest peak. She is associated with various organisations and also a Goodwill Ambassador of UN Women since 2017.

Chiese national Ma has also previously climbed Everest, apart from summits in Nepal and China, the statement said.