About this episode

In this episode, Ranjit Monga interviews Pema Wangchuk about the history of expeditions to Khangchendzonga and the influential figures involved.

'Khangchendzonga: Sacred Summit' — Author Interview with Pema Wangchuk For the third episode of Season 3, we return to Sikkim — continuing our series of in‑depth conversations with non‑fiction authors. Senior journalist and documentary filmmaker Ranjit Monga talks to Pema Wangchuk (pamdorjee@gmail.com), co‑author of Khangchendzonga: Sacred Summit . In this episode, Pema takes us on a vivid journey through the early expeditions that attempted to climb Khangchendzonga (or Kanchenjunga) in the first half of the 20th century. He speaks about Alexander Mitchell Kellas , the chemist‑explorer whose pioneering ideas on high‑altitude physiology shaped the future of Himalayan mountaineering. From 1905 to 1955, the sacred peak remained elusive — until, as Pema says, “it allowed” a team led by Charles Evans , deputy leader of the successful 1953 Everest expedition, to place four climbers just below the summit. They stopped six feet short of the actual peak, honoring their promise to the people of Sikkim that they would not step on the revered crown of the mountain. Pema also brings alive the many stories surrounding these climbers: Aleister Crowley , the infamous “Beast” whose 1905…

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