BHUBANESWAR: The body of Odisha’s first Everest climber, Kalpana Das has reached Bhubaneswar from New Delhi on Sunday. Das, 53, passed away while descending from the Himalayan summit on May 23 at a height of around 8,600 feet. She climbed Mt Everest at 12:30 pm on May 23.

Her body was sent to Delhi from Kathmandu and then flown to the Biju Patnaik International Airport of Odisha.

The state government had made arrangements for the body to be received at the city airport and taken to Kalinga Stadium Complex where Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera, accompanied by his department officials, paid their last respects to the departed soul.

Paying homage, Behera said, “Kalpana Das was an ace mountaineer who brought fame to the state. She was an achiever who led by example and even in her death she will continue to inspire young aspirants to scale great peaks”.

He also thanked the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, the search and rescue team of Sherpas and other officials who braced severe weather conditions and difficult terrain to repatriate the body and bring it back to her family members.

Das, who hailed from Dhenkanal, was the state’s first Everester. (Agency)