After scaling Everest, IAF officer Toolika conquers Damavand volcano

[Jamwal's]

At 31, Meerut girl Toolika Rani-an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer-has become the country’s first woman to climb Asia’s highest volcano- Mount Damavand in Iran.

Posted as squadron leader at IAF Academy, Hyderabad, Toolika unfurled the Indian flag at the dormant volcano which is 5,671 metre high (18,605 ft) located in Iran’s Alborz mountain range. She was the only Indian to be part of the International Climbing Mission organised by Iran Mountaineering Federation from July 21-31.

“It’s a dream come true for a mountaineering enthusiast like me,” Toolika said.

Significantly, this was not the IAF officer’s firts achievement. On May 26 2012, Toolika became the first women ever from Uttar Pradesh to unfurl the tri colour atop the Mount Everest- 29,029 feet above sea level. Posted then in Lucknow, she achieved the feat alone, assisted by two sherpas, on her individual expenses spending approximately Rs 20 Lakhs. Soon after completing her once in a life moment, Toolika developed frostbite injury in her feet, for which she had to be admitted at Lucknow’s command hospital. She had even borrowed the equipments and other paraphernalia for the trek from IAF.

A year before, Rani, accompanying an IAF team expedition, had to return back after scaling 22,500 feet due to cold feet. Coming from a modest family in Alipur village-a two-hour drive from Meerut, she had a lot to surmount before her dream became a reality.

It is pertinent to mention here that Bachendri Pal was the first Indian woman from Garwal (then UP) to conquer Mount Everest on the May 23, 1984. Now her native village comes under neighbouring Uttrakhand after being carved out from the state. She was the fourth women IAF officer to scale the highest mountain peak in the world.

After scaling Everest, IAF officer Toolika conquers Damavand volcano