In a historic achievement, Sub-Inspector Geeta Samota of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has become the first woman from the force to conquer Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak at 8,849 meters (29,032 feet). The milestone, achieved on May 19, 2025, marks a significant moment in the 56-year history of the CISF, showcasing the grit and determination of its personnel.
Geeta Samota, hailing from Chak village in Rajasthan’s Sikar district, completed the challenging expedition in a remarkable span of six months and 27 days. Her journey to the summit of Everest is not just a personal triumph but also a groundbreaking feat for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). She raised the Indian tricolor at the peak, symbolizing her perseverance and the pride of the nation.
A former hockey player whose sporting career was cut short by injury, Samota joined the CISF in 2011 and discovered her passion for mountaineering. She began her training in 2015 at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) institute in Auli, where she was the only woman in her batch. By 2017, she had completed an advanced mountaineering course, becoming the first CISF personnel to do so. Her mountaineering journey gained momentum in 2019 when she became the first CAPF woman to scale Mount Satopanth (7,075 meters) in Uttarakhand and Mount Lobuche (6,119 meters) in Nepal.
Samota’s ambitions didn’t stop there. She set her sights on the prestigious “Seven Summits” challenge—climbing the highest peak on each continent. Between 2021 and 2022, she summited four of these peaks: Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 meters) in Australia, Mount Elbrus (5,642 meters) in Russia, Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters) in Tanzania, and Mount Aconcagua (6,961 meters) in Argentina. She achieved this feat in a record-breaking six months and 27 days, making her the fastest Indian woman to do so.
Her Everest expedition was supported by the CISF, which provided financial backing and training opportunities, including winter acclimatization at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS) in Manali. Speaking about her achievement, Samota said, “Mountains are great levellers. They don’t care about your gender. Only those with that X-factor can conquer those heights.” Her accomplishment has shattered stereotypes, proving that women can excel in the most demanding fields.
For her trailblazing efforts, Samota has been honored with several awards, including the International Women’s Day Award 2023 by the Delhi Commission for Women and the “Giving Wings to Dreams Award 2023” by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Her Everest summit has inspired the CISF to plan its first full in-house mountaineering team expedition to Everest in 2026, aiming to build on her legacy.
Geeta Samota’s journey from rural Rajasthan to the top of the world stands as a testament to perseverance, courage, and the power of dreaming big. Her message to young girls is clear: “Dream big, work hard, and never give up.”
