Aparna Kumar


Aparna Kumar is an Indian mountaineer. In 2018, she was awarded the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award for land adventure, presented by the President of India.

Career and training

Prior to mountaineering, Kumar was a 2002 batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre and commanded the 9th Battalion of PAC (Provincial Armed Constabulary), which guarded the Chinese border before the ITBP existed. As an IPS officer, she served in the high altitudes of Uttaranchal, manning the sensitive Indo-Tibetan border at Askot, Badrinath and Uttarkashi, whose jurisdiction was handed over to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police in 1992.
Kumar summited the Lobuche East peak in April 2013. In June 2013, Kumar climbed Stok Kangri in Ladakh, becoming the first IPS/All India Service officer to do so. She is also known for her expedition to the Seven Summits.

Mountaineering conquests

Africa

On 30 August 2014, she summited Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in a 15-day journey.

Oceania

On 7 November 2014, Kumar climbed Puncak Jaya Mountain.

South America

On 14 January 2015, she summited Mount Aconcagua.

Europe

Kumar also summited Mount Elbrus in Russia.

Antarctica

Kumar was part of a ten-member expedition team, alongside members from the USA, Canada, South Africa, the U.K., and Australia, to climb the Vinson Massif in Antarctica. During the expedition, Kumar also reached the Union Glacier in Antarctica.

Asia

Kumar summited Mount Everest on 21 May 2016, at 11:02 IST.
Kumar successfully climbed Stok Kangri in Ladakh.
Kumar summited the in April 2013.

North America

In 2019, she climbed Mount Denali in Alaska, completing her Seven Summits challenge.

Awards

Kumar is from Bengaluru and has two children. She is married to , an IAS officer of UP Cadre. She is an alumna of Vijaya College, Jaya Nagar, and National Law School, Bengaluru. She also did her schooling in Mysore. She speaks fluent Kannada and Hindi.