Everest Tragedy Shocks Hyderabad’s Climbing Community
HYDERABAD: The deaths of two climbers from the Telugu states on Mount Everest earlier this week have shocked Hyderabad’s mountaineering community, especially trekking enthusiasts preparing for future expeditions.
According to climbers, this season has recorded around six deaths on Everest, including Telugu states-based climbers Arun Kumar Tiwari, 53, and Sandeep Are, 46, along with mountaineers from other countries.
Climbers Remembered by Fellow Mountaineers
Hyderabad-based mountaineer Karthikeya Vishwanath, 17, who scaled Everest last year and became the youngest Indian to complete the Seven Summits challenge, said he had climbed alongside both men.
“Last year, Arun sir was with me on the Everest push, but he could not summit then. This year he returned, reached the summit, but could not make it back. We had travelled together till Everest Base Camp last year,” Karthikeya said.
Speaking about Sandeep Are, he added, “I have done around five climbs with Sandeep sir as well. We went on many expeditions together. He was very strong and capable in the mountains. It was shocking to hear what happened.”
Sushama Chitta, a former colleague of Arun Kumar Tiwari, recalled his achievements and personality.
“At ServiceNow in 2024, we held a special session about him during an internal event called Gurucool. I hosted that session and introduced him. His list of accomplishments was incredible. He was humble, grounded and inspirational. Mountains and him were inseparable. His storytelling ability was exceptional,” she said.
She added that the Nepal side of Everest remains more vulnerable to avalanches and accounts for most casualties reported on the mountain.
Overcrowding Raises Safety Concerns
Mountaineers said overcrowding on Everest has emerged as a major concern this season.
Shubham Chatterjee, who was part of a group that descended safely on May 21, said congestion significantly increased risks for climbers.
“Each foreign climber must have one Sherpa support staff member. That pushed the number of people moving on the fixed-rope route close to 1,000 during the summit window. There was heavy traffic,” he said.
According to climbers, route congestion slows movement and exposes mountaineers to harsh weather conditions for longer periods.
Everest Expeditions Come With Heavy Risks and Costs
Mountaineers said an Everest expedition can cost nearly ₹50 lakh, including permits, logistics, accommodation, oxygen support, Sherpa assistance and insurance.
Bharath Thammineni, founder of Boots And Crampons, said climbers face several high-altitude risks, including snow blindness, which reportedly affected Sandeep Are.
He said severe exhaustion, frostbite, dehydration, hypothermia, high-altitude cerebral edema and high-altitude pulmonary edema are among the most common causes of casualties on Everest.
