“She is elated and hopes to return to Kathmandu this week,” said Chhiring Dorjee Sherpa, the base camp manager as the climber began her descent.

Tine Mena said her feat was intended to raise awareness about climbing and adventure sports among the youth in Arunachal Pradesh, which though a mountain state, has little public knowledge of or exposure to adventure sports.

She was selected by Arunachal Pradesh’s Sports Directorate after she showed climbing potential during a trekking expedition to the Indo-China border and was sent to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling to undergo a mountaineering course.

Two years ago, the state government of Arunachal Pradesh had also assisted the expedition of male climber Tapi Mra, who became the first climber from the state to scale Mt Everest.

This season, a record 31 men and women from India are attempting to tame Mt Everest.

Besides a 14-member Indian Air Force expedition dominated by women, there are 17 individuals, including the husband and wife duo of Vikash and Sushma Kaushik, who are attempting to become the first Indian couple to reach the summit.