Atop Everest, TN woman gets breath of life from Mexican climber

CHENNAI: Near the summit of Mount Everest and within a short distance away from being the first woman from Tamil Nadu to scale the world’s tallest mountain, the 34-year-old faced a life-or-death situation after her oxygen almost ran out. In that hour of crisis, providence shined on her in the form of a Mexican mountaineer who helped her, literally offering her the breath of life.

Back in Chennai after making history, Muthamizhselvi of Joyalpet in Virudhunagar is understandably elated. Settled in Mannivakkam near Tambaram with her husband, Gunasekaran, and their two children, Muthamizhselvi had set climbing Everest as her ambition. But it was easier said than done, as it involved a substantial amount of money.

A 34-year-old woman from Virudhunagar who conquered Mount Everest, despite a near-death experience, returned to Chennai on Tuesday and was given a warm welcome at the airport.#MountEverest #Virudhunagar #MtEverest #Chennai https://t.co/EyFJDK0Iq2

— DT Next (@dt_next) May 31, 2023

When Chief Minister MK Stalin learnt about her, he invited Muthamizhselvi and extended Rs 10 lakh to encourage her to pursue her dream. Soon afterwards, Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin gave her an additional Rs 15 lakh.

After securing the required money, she embarked on the long journey that lasted for 56 days, during which she traversed the seemingly endless stretch of treacherous snow to finally conquer the 8,848.86-metre tall peak on May 23. In doing so, Muthamizhselvi became the first woman from Tamil Nadu to achieve the feat.

“Mountaineers usually carry six oxygen cylinders when climbing the mountain. When I faced oxygen shortage, a Mexican mountaineer came to my help,” she recalled while interacting with the media at the airport on Tuesday.

But not one to be deterred by a narrow escape from a certain death, she is now planning to climb the highest mountains all other continents.