Pooja Nautiyal: The Army Officer Who Conquered Mount Everest
From the Hills of Pauri Garhwal to the Top of the World
Lieutenant Colonel Pooja Nautiyal (Retd.) is a decorated former Indian Army officer who, in May 2025, achieved the extraordinary feat of summiting Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, becoming a proud “Mount Everester” and a symbol of women's empowerment from the hills of Uttarakhand.
Her journey – from more than two decades of distinguished service in the Indian Army's Corps of Signals to a senior national-security role and, eventually, to the summit of Everest - has made her one of the most inspiring figures to emerge from Pauri Garhwal in recent years.
Early Life: Roots in Pauri Garhwal
Pooja Nautiyal comes from a small village near Srinagar in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. Like many families in the region, hers instilled in her a strong sense of discipline and service from an early age - values that would go on to define both her military career and her later mountaineering journey.
Two Decades in the Indian Army's Corps of Signals
Pooja Nautiyal joined the Indian Army's Corps of Signals in 2000, at around 20 years of age. Over the next two decades, she rose through the ranks with distinction, eventually attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring from active service in 2021.
As one of the relatively few women to reach a senior leadership rank in the Indian Army during that period, her career itself stood as a marker of change, well before her mountaineering achievements brought her wider public recognition.
Life After the Army: A Career in National Security
Following her retirement from the Army, Pooja Nautiyal continued her career in public service, taking on a senior role with the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), the apex body advising the Government of India on national security matters. In this role, she has worked as a cybersecurity expert, contributing to technology-driven operations connected to national security.
Her transition from military command to cybersecurity and strategic policy reflects the same discipline and adaptability that later carried her to the summit of Everest.
The Everest Expedition: Conquering the World's Highest Peak
Pooja Nautiyal's Everest expedition was as much a personal mission as a public one - a tribute, in her own words, to women who often feel invisible or underestimated in their roles. Her mountaineering journey had already begun in earlier years with support from expedition partners such as Boots & Crampons, before culminating in her attempt on Everest itself.
Her Everest expedition received financial backing of roughly ₹40 lakh from Teerthanker Mahaveer University (TMU), which sponsored the climb as part of its commitment to women's empowerment and holistic development. On 20 May 2025, at the age of 46, Pooja Nautiyal successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest, where she unfurled the Indian tricolour alongside the flag of Teerthanker Mahaveer University.
Pooja Nautiyal's Association with Uttarakhand Sports Foundation
In September 2025, the Uttarakhand Sports Foundation (USF), New Delhi, felicitated Lieutenant Colonel Pooja Nautiyal at her residence in Delhi in honour of her historic Everest summit. USF President Sushil Bhatt and Secretary (Media) Vikas Pundora met her for what was scheduled as a one-hour meeting but extended into a three-hour conversation covering ideas for women's empowerment and sports development in Uttarakhand.
During the meeting, Nautiyal shared her vision for empowering women in the hill regions of Uttarakhand and discussed innovative ideas for promoting tourism in the state through sports. Following these discussions, the Uttarakhand Sports Foundation announced the creation of a new Women's Wing, with Lieutenant Colonel Pooja Nautiyal appointed as its President.
- Role: President, Women's Wing, Uttarakhand Sports Foundation (from September 2025)
- Focus Areas: Women's empowerment in the hills, promoting mountain and adventure sports, and sports-driven tourism in Uttarakhand
- Mandate: Guiding Uttarakhandi youth especially girls toward rock climbing and mountaineering, while building confidence, resilience, and leadership
Through this role, the Foundation has positioned her mountaineering credentials and decades of military leadership as a resource to inspire and mentor the next generation of Uttarakhand's young sportswomen.
Career Timeline
| Year | Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Joined Indian Army | Commissioned into the Corps of Signals at around age 20 |
| 2000-2021 | Military Service | Rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel over two decades of service |
| 2021 | Retired from Active Service | Transitioned into a national-security and cybersecurity role |
| 2025 | National Security Council Secretariat | Serving in a senior role focused on cybersecurity operations |
| 20 May 2025 | Mount Everest Summit | Reached the Summit - sponsored by Teerthanker Mahaveer University |
| September 2025 | USF Women's Wing President | Appointed President of the Women's Wing, Uttarakhand Sports Foundation |
Legacy: An Icon of Discipline and Determination
Pooja Nautiyal's story bridges two worlds military service and mountaineering – united by the same quality of unwavering discipline.
She is widely regarded as:
- A trailblazer among women officers in the Indian Army's Corps of Signals
- A Mount Everester who summited the world's highest peak at the age of 46
- A leading voice for women's empowerment and adventure sports in Uttarakhand's hill regions
- President of the Women's Wing at the Uttarakhand Sports Foundation, mentoring the state's next generation of sportswomen
From commanding responsibility in uniform to standing atop the world's highest peak, Pooja Nautiyal's journey continues to inspire the daughters of Uttarakhand's hills to dream bigger and climb higher.