Introduction
Sqn. Ldr. Nirupama Pandey is an Indian mountaineer. She is the first person from Bihar to have scaled Mount Everest. She has climbed other mountains as well, including Mt Stock Kangri (6121m) in Leh, Mount Golab Kangri (6100m),in Leh Mt Kamet (7,757m), Mt Abhigamin (7357m) in Garhwal region and Mt Saser Kangri I (7672m) in Ladakh region. Nirupama, who belongs to Jamo Jalalpur village in Siwan, has taken Bihar into the league of 14 states from where people have climbed Mount Everest so far. Currently, she is posted at Rajokri Air Force Station in New Delhi under the Western Air Force command.
Early life
Nirupama Pandey was born in the village of Jamo Jalalpur in Siwan district, the daughter of Shri Rajendra Pandey and Srimati Uma Pandey. She did her schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya in Pune and graduation and MBA from Ness Wadia College, Pune. She started her mountaineering career in 2007 by undergoing rigorous training at Nehru Institute of Mountaineering located at Uttarkashi. In 2003, she joined the Indian Air Force as a flying officer.
Family
In August 2009, Nirupama Pandey married Squadron leader Prakash Jha, who hails from Benipatti in Madhubani, Bihar.
Awards
In August, 2011 Bihar CM Sri Nitish Kumar felicitated Squadron leader Nirupama Pandey in Patna for unfurling tricolour at the Mount Everest. She was awarded with Ati Vishisth Khel Samman by the Govt of Bihar.