The first all-women mountaineering expedition to Mount Everest by the Border Security Force (BSF) successfully scaled the world’s highest peak on Thursday morning. The expedition, christened ‘Mission Vande Mataram’, is part of the BSF’s Diamond Jubiliee celebrations.The team comprises constable Kouser Fatima from Ladakh, constable Munmun Ghosh from West Bengal, constable Rabeka Singh from Uttarakhand and constable Tsering Chorol from Kargil. Representing diverse regions of the country and coming from humble backgrounds, the four mountaineers embody the spirit of courage, determination, discipline and dedication to the service of the nation.Following the successful summit, Praveen Kumar, Director-General, BSF, interacted live with the team through a radio link from the peak that rises 8,848.86 metres above sea level, and congratulated them on behalf of the entire force and the nation.The BSF chief praised the mountaineers for their exemplary courage, resilience and unwavering determination, describing the expedition as a shining symbol of the indomitable spirit, professionalism and dedication of BSF personnel, a BSF spokesperson said.Promoting the motto “Clean Himalaya – Clean Glaciers”, the BSF mountaineering contingent will collect 500 kg of waste from higher camps on Mount Everest and transport it to Namche Bazaar for proper disposal, reaffirming the force’s commitment to environmental conservation.The expedition aims to promote women’s empowerment while strengthening high-altitude operational capabilities, resilience, and an adventure-driven mindset among women personnel, the BSF said. The expedition also reflects the growing role and capabilities of women personnel of the BSF in challenging operational and adventure activities.The team had undergone a specialised training programme for the expedition under the aegis of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS), Manali. This mission was flagged off from New Delhi on April 6.In continuation of this mission, the BSF’s all-men mountaineering team will also attempt to summit Mount Lhotse in the next 2-3 days. Located on the border of Nepal and Tibet, the 8,516-metre high peak is the world’s fourth-highest, and directly connected to Mount Everest via the South Col, from where the women’s team had launched their ascent.BSF personnel have earlier scaled 50 prominent peaks, including expeditions to Mount Everest in 2006 and 2018.Raised in 1965, the BSF is responsible for the peacetime management of the International Border with Pakistan in the west and Bangladesh in the east. It is also co-deployed with the Indian Army along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, serving in high altitude areas like Kargil.