Bachendri Pal is a special name in Indian mountaineering as she is the first Indian woman to reach the Mount Everest summit. Today, she is known for her pioneering role in promotion and organization of expeditions for women which she has been doing for the best part of three decades. Through these programmes, she has been able to successfully inculcate leadership skills in several women. The mountaineer is also a Padma Shree and Padma Bhushan awardee for bringing repute to the nation. Bachendri Pal has opened up unorthodox fields for Indian women which were earlier considered to be male dominated ones.