Naveed Aslam at 10:57, 25 April 2026

2026-04-25T10:57:31Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian mountaineer}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox climber
| name = Mamta Sodha
| image =
| birth_name =
| occupation = [[Mountaineer]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1979|11|01}}
| birth_place = [[Kaithal]], [[Haryana]], India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Indian
| majorascents = [[Mount Everest]] in 2010<br />[[Mount Elbrus]] in 2012
| spouse =
| children =
| Website =
}}

'''Mamta Sodha''' is an Indian sportsperson, known for her successful 2010 attempt to scale [[Mount Everest]].<ref name="Web India news">{{cite web | url=http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20100616/1528182.html | title=Everester Mamta Sodha to be appointed DSP in Haryana Police | publisher=Web India | date=16 June 2010 | access-date=2 September 2014 | archive-date=21 January 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121100103/http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20100616/1528182.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> She was honoured by the [[Government of India]], in 2014, by bestowing on her the [[Padma Shri]], the fourth highest civilian award, for her services to the field of [[mountaineering]] sport.<ref name="Padma">{{cite web|url=http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=102735 |title=Padma Awards Announced |publisher=Press Information Bureau, Government of India |work=Circular |date=25 January 2014 |access-date=23 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222101141/http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=102735 |archive-date=22 February 2014 }}</ref>

==Biography==
[[File:Everest North Face toward Base Camp Tibet Luca Galuzzi 2006.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Everest North Face toward Base Camp Tibet Luca Galuzzi 2006]]
Mamta Sodha was born on 1 November 1979,<ref name="Haryana Police profile">{{cite web | url=http://haryanapolice.nic.in/dsp_Mamta_Sodha.asp | title=Haryana Police profile | publisher=Haryana Police Department | date=2014 | access-date=2 September 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209042609/http://haryanapolice.nic.in/dsp_Mamta_Sodha.asp | archive-date=9 February 2014 | url-status=dead }}</ref> at [[Kaithal]], in the state of [[Haryana]], in India, in a family with poor financial resources, as the eldest of three girls and two boys.<ref name="Kaithal girl scales Mt Everest" /><ref name="The Contemporary Dalit Heroes - Ms. Mamta Sodha" /><ref name="A dream come true for Kaithal girl" /> She lost her father, Laxman Dass Sodha, who worked as an inspector with the Haryana Food and Supplies Department, in 2004,<ref name="Kaithal girl scales Mt Everest">{{cite web | url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100523/main7.htm | title=Kaithal girl scales Mt Everest | work=The Tribune | date=22 May 2010 | access-date=2 September 2014 | author=Satish Seth}}</ref><ref name="The Contemporary Dalit Heroes - Ms. Mamta Sodha" /> and her mother, Mewa Devi,<ref name="The Contemporary Dalit Heroes - Ms. Mamta Sodha" /> had to support the family with the help of her brothers.<ref name="A dream come true for Kaithal girl">{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/a-dream-come-true-for-kaithal-girl/article776753.ece | title=A dream come true for Kaithal girl | work=The Hindu | date=31 May 2010 | access-date=2 September 2014}}</ref>

Mamta did her schooling at a local school in Kaithal and college studies at the RKSD College, Kaithal from where she secured her graduate degree, getting high grades.<ref name="A dream come true for Kaithal girl" /> Subsequently, she earned her master's degree in [[Physical Education]] (MPhEd) from [[Kurukshetra University]], in 2005<ref name="Haryana Police profile" /><ref name="Kaithal girl scales Mt Everest" /> and joined the same university at the Shaheed Baba Deep Singh College of Physical Education, Haryana, as a lecturer.<ref name="Haryana teacher Mamta scales Mt Everest">{{cite web | url=http://www.allindianewssite.com/7432/haryana-teacher-mamta-scales-mt-everest/ | title=Haryana teacher Mamta scales Mt Everest | publisher=All India News Site | date=22 May 2010 | access-date=2 September 2014 | author=Sumit Sehgal | archive-date=2 September 2014 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20140902044312/http://www.allindianewssite.com/7432/haryana-teacher-mamta-scales-mt-everest/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="The Contemporary Dalit Heroes - Ms. Mamta Sodha" />

After the successful Everest climb, the Government of Haryana absorbed her into the [[Haryana Police|Haryana Police Force]]. Mamta Sodha is now a [[Deputy superintendent of police|Deputy Superintendent of Police]] with Haryana Police since 11 August 2010.<ref name="Haryana Police profile" />

==Sporting achievements==
Mamta had a passion for rock climbing early on,<ref name="Kaithal girl scales Mt Everest" /><ref name="A dream come true for Kaithal girl" /> a trait encouraged by her father.<ref name="Kaithal girl scales Mt Everest" /> Soon, she made up her mind to climb Mount Everest one day for which she joined the [[Nehru Institute of Mountaineering]], in the state of Uttarakhand.<ref name="The Contemporary Dalit Heroes - Ms. Mamta Sodha">{{cite web | url=http://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.in/2010/05/contemporary-dalit-heroes-ms-mamta.html | title=The Contemporary Dalit Heroes – Ms. Mamta Sodha | publisher=diplomatic titbits | date=23 May 2010 | access-date=2 September 2014}}</ref> Prior to embarking on the project, she scaled a few other peaks. She was a member of the IMF Golden Jubilee expedition team that scaled Phawararang Peak in July 2008.<ref name="Haryana Police profile" /><ref name="Tenzing Norgay Award" /> Two months later, in October, she climbed the Mun Peak with another team, while on an expedition at [[McLeod Ganj]].<ref name="Haryana Police profile" /><ref name="Tenzing Norgay Award" /> In August 2009, she summited Shri Kanth Peak with an all-women team.<ref name="Haryana Police profile" /><ref name="Tenzing Norgay Award" />

She has also scaled other peaks of varying heights such as Morni Peak, [[Khüiten Peak]], Inderhara Pass<ref name="Kaithal girl scales Mt Everest" /> and [[Island Peak]]<ref name="Tenzing Norgay Award" /> on various occasions. This was followed by an attempt on [[Imja Tse|Island (Imja-tse) Peak]] which she successfully accomplished in April 2010, just prior to the Mount Everest expedition.<ref name="Haryana Police profile" />

The total financial outlay for the Everest project was around {{INR}}1.8 million.<ref name="A dream come true for Kaithal girl" /> Mamta collected the money by way of contributions from several agencies and individuals such as Haryana state government ({{INR}}300,000), PWD Minister, Randeep Singh Surjewala ({{INR}}51,000), Kurukshetra member of parliament, [[Navin Jindal]] ({{INR}}500,000}, District Police Commissioner Amneet P Kumar ({{INR}}250,000) and various others<ref name="Kaithal girl scales Mt Everest" /><ref name="A dream come true for Kaithal girl" /> and the project started in April 2010, with the encouragement of previous Everest climbers [[Bachendri Pal]] and [[Santosh Yadav]].<ref name="Haryana teacher Mamta scales Mt Everest" /> The expedition team consisted of 13 members, of which nine mountaineers were from United States, Denmark, Switzerland and Australia and the remaining four from India, including 16-year-old [[Arjun Vajpai]].<ref name="Delhi boy becomes youngest Indian to climb Mt Everest">{{cite web | url=http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/may/22/delhi-boy-becomes-youngest-indian-to-climb-mt-everest.htm | title=Delhi boy becomes youngest Indian to climb Mt Everest | work=Rediff.com | date=22 May 2010 | access-date=3 September 2014 | author=Shirish B Pradhan}}</ref> The team was led by the legendary [[Apa Sherpa]], who held the world record of 19 successful climbs of<ref name="Apa Sherpa">{{cite web | url=http://www.apasherpa.com/ | title=Apa Sherpa | publisher=Apa Sherpa Foundation | date=2014 | access-date=2 September 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727171603/http://www.apasherpa.com/ | archive-date=27 July 2014 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Mount Everest. The team spent 40 days at [[Khumbu Glacier]], where the team had set up their base camp, for acclimatisation. The route was the traditional [[South Col]] route in [[Nepal]]. The team, after periodic stop overs at three or four camps en route, finally reached the top around 20 May 2010. At 10.24 am, on 22 May, 2010, Mamta Sodha summited Mount Everest.<ref name="Haryana Police profile" /><ref name="Delhi boy becomes youngest Indian to climb Mt Everest" />

After the Everest triumph, Mamta scaled the highest peak in Europe, [[Mount Elbrus]], in 2012.<ref name="Mt. Elbrus">{{cite web | url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=421611194564068&set=a.170392296352627.42060.100001455741901&type=1&theater | title=Mt. Elbrus | publisher=facebook page | date=18 September 2012 | access-date=2 September 2014}}</ref>

Apart from being a mountaineer, Mamta Sodha excelled in [[handball]], too.<ref name="The Contemporary Dalit Heroes - Ms. Mamta Sodha" /> She was a member of the Haryana state girls team which secured runner up position at the 21st Junior Girls' National Handball Championship, held at Agra in November 1998.<ref name="Haryana Police profile" /> As a member of the [[Kurukshetra University]] team, she was a winner at the All India Inter-University Handball tournament in December 1998.<ref name="Haryana Police profile" /> In 2003, she was selected as a ''B1'' grade sportsperson in [[Handball]] by the Sports and Youth Welfare department of [[Haryana Government]].

Mamta Sodha is also a member of National Adventure Club.<ref name="The Contemporary Dalit Heroes - Ms. Mamta Sodha" /><ref name="Young woman from Haryana scales Mt Everest">{{cite web | url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/young-woman-from-haryana-scales-mt-everest_628550.html | title=Young woman from Haryana scales Mt Everest | publisher=Zee News | date=22 May 2010 | access-date=2 September 2014}}</ref>

==Awards and recognitions==
* [[Padma Shri]] – [[Government of India]] – 2014<ref name="Padma" />
* [[Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award]] – [[Government of India]] – 2010<ref name="Tenzing Norgay Award">{{cite web | url=http://haryanapolice.gov.in/Awards_in_sports.asp | title=Tenzing Norgay Award | publisher=Haryana Police | date=29 August 2011 | access-date=2 September 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121228060636/http://www.haryanapolice.gov.in/Awards_in_sports.asp | archive-date=28 December 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Tensing Norgay Adventure Award">{{cite web | url=http://www.leadthecompetition.in/CA/awards/t_norgay_awds10.html | title=Tensing Norgay Adventure Award | publisher=Lead the Competition.in | date=2011 | access-date=2 September 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813044741/http://www.leadthecompetition.in/CA/awards/t_norgay_awds10.html | archive-date=13 August 2014 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Cash Award {{INR}} 2.1 million – [[Government of Haryana]] – 2010<ref name="Hooda announce Rs 21 lakh to Mamta Sodha">{{cite web | url=http://www.theindiapost.com/sports/hooda-announce-rs-21-lakh-to-mamta-sodha/ | title=Hooda announce Rs 21 lakh to Mamta Sodha | publisher=The India Post | date=3 June 2010 | access-date=2 September 2014 | archive-date=11 April 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411144339/http://www.theindiapost.com/sports/hooda-announce-rs-21-lakh-to-mamta-sodha/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Certificate of successful Ascent on [[Imja Tse|Idland (Imja-tse) Peak]] – Nepal Mountaineering Association – 2010<ref name="Haryana Police profile" />

==See also==
{{portal|India}}
* [[Apa Sherpa]]
* [[Tenzing Norgay]]
* [[Edmund Hillary]]
* [[Bachendri Pal]]
*[[Indian summiters of Mount Everest - Year wise]]
*[[List of Mount Everest summiters by number of times to the summit]]
*[[List of Mount Everest records of India]]
*[[List of Mount Everest records]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=50em}}

==External links==
* {{cite web | url=http://dsclimited.com/dev/index.php?modepage=news&pages=43 | title=DSC Limited honors Mamta Sodha | publisher=DSC Limited | date=7 June 2010 | access-date=2 September 2014}}
* {{cite web | url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/sports-brief/634954/ | title=Surinder Kaur, Mamta Sodha appointed DSP | publisher=The New Indian Express | date=17 June 2010 | access-date=2 September 2014 | author=EXpress News Service}}
* {{cite web | url=http://titoju.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/mamta-sodha-willpower-personified/ | title=Mamta Sodha – Willpower Personified | publisher=Blog report | date=8 June 2010 | access-date=2 September 2014}}
* {{cite web | url=http://www.ambedkartimes.com/World%20Media%20News.htm | title=Tenzing Norgay Award Winner Mamta Sodha, Everester (India) | publisher=Ambedkar Times | date=1 September 2011 | access-date=2 September 2014}}
{{Indian mountaineers}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Sports}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sodha, Mamta}}
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in sports]]
[[Category:Indian female mountain climbers]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from Haryana]]
[[Category:Kurukshetra University alumni]]
[[Category:Indian women's handball players]]
[[Category:Indian summiteers of Mount Everest]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women]]
[[Category:Indian women police officers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian police officers]]
[[Category:Mountain climbers from Haryana]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award]]

Mamta Sodha - Revision history

Naveed Aslam at 10:57, 25 April 2026