SHILLONG, June 22 — Rifiness Warjri, a 20-year-old NCC cadet and BSc (Botany) student from St. Anthony’s College, has made history as the youngest and third woman from Meghalaya to summit Mount Everest. She reached the world’s highest peak (8,848+ meters) on May 18. She was the sole representative from the Northeast in the 38-member NCC Everest expedition team.
Warmly welcomed at Umroi Airport by her 61 Meghalaya Girls’ Battalion NCC and family, Rifiness reflected on the emotional moment of planting the Indian flag atop the peak. “It was the happiest moment of my life,” she shared.
Her journey to Everest began with a rigorous multi-level selection process, starting at the state level and culminating in Delhi, with just ten NCC cadets (five girls and five boys) chosen out of 17 lakh across India. Their training spanned prestigious institutions like the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, as well as the harsh conditions of the Siachen Glacier.
Before Everest, Rifiness scaled Mount Abi Gamin (7,355m) in August 2024 as part of the selection process. Her final summit push began from Camp 4—also known as the “death zone”—on the evening of May 17, reaching the peak by 4 AM the next day.
She recalled harrowing moments during the climb, including having to step over the bodies of fallen climbers. “We had to use oxygen masks to breathe. Many around us struggled,” she said.
Inspired by her parents and former Everest climber Dolyne Kharbhih—also from Meghalaya and the NCC—Rifiness credited her success to the NCC’s training and encouragement. She first encountered mountaineering through NCC activities during school and is also a trained mixed martial artist.
Her achievement stands as a proud moment for Meghalaya and a milestone for women in Indian adventure sports.