On Thursday, Rajasthan-based mountaineer named Anurag Maloo who had gone missing on April 17 after falling deep into the crevasses on Mount Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain in the world was recovered alive in a critical condition. The news was confirmed by one of his family members named Sudhir who posted a video online saying that his bother Anurag was recovered alive but was in a critical condition. Anurag has been admitted to the Manipal Hospital in Pokhara.
Great news from Nepal. Indian mountaineer #AnuragMaloo has been found alive by the rescue team after almost 60 hours. He has been shifted to the hospital. Praying for his recovery. His situation remains critical. Message from his family members. pic.twitter.com/HiY2k0NFzt
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) April 20, 2023
Sudhir in the video which went viral over the social media, could further be heard saying that Anurag has been admitted to the hospital and all are praying for his speedy recovery. One of the users named Akshaye Rathi also posted a tweet confirming the news and said, “with God’s grace and the efforts of search teams, Anurag Maloo has been found! He is being rushed for treatment. Please pray for his wellbeing.”
With God’s grace & the efforts of search teams, #AnuragMaloo has been found! He is being rushed for treatment. Please pray for his wellbeing. 🙏 https://t.co/WxJ4TJ98vw
— Akshaye Rathi / अक्षय राठी 🇮🇳 (@akshayerathi) April 20, 2023
The search and rescue operation was underway for past three days after 34-year-old Maloo went missing while he was camping at the 10th highest mountain in the world. While local sherpas searched for Maloo on ground, a helicopter equipped with a carbon dioxide detector was deployed for the hunt.
Maloo’s family meanwhile had started a signature drive to get support for his search and rescue while rescue efforts were already underway. The goal of the signature drive was to urge the authorities in India and Nepal to send out special rescue teams to help with the search.
#AnuragMaloo, an Indian mountaineer, went missing while descending from Mt. Annapoorna on 17th April.
— Charu Pragya🇮🇳 (@CharuPragya) April 19, 2023
It’s been 48 hours already & every hour that lapses without finding him could be the difference between life & death.
As his friends & family leave no stone unturned to find… pic.twitter.com/FRngvCC9dO
Maloo, a resident of Kishangarh in Rajasthan, vanished while attempting to reach the peak to spread awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals. The would-be mountaineer had climbed Mount Ama Dablam the previous year and intended to conquer Mounts Annapurna, Lhotse, and Everest this coming climbing season.
Aashish Maloo, brother of Anurag said that the aspiring mountaineer was on a mission to climb all 14 peaks above 8000 m and 7 Summits to create awareness and drive action towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. “My brother Anurag is the most passionate climber that I know. Since I can remember, climbing mountains has been a dream of his. Each time he set out to climb, he would make sure he had the Indian flag by his side, ready to be hoisted across the world’s highest peaks,” he was quoted as saying.
He also had sought help from the both Indian and Nepalese government to rescue his brother. Reportedly, he was recovered alive on Thursday as claimed by one of his relatives named Sudhir.
Anurag Maloo, a climber and businessman, was awarded the REX KaramVeer Chakra and was chosen to represent India as the 2041 Antarctic Youth Ambassador. At the moment, he oversees relationships across Asia for the investment company Seedstars. The CEO at Seedstars is well renowned for his efforts in developing markets. Notably, the Switzerland-based company Seedstars was established in 2013.
Maloo focuses on new business development and sales at Seedstars, manages large key accounts, builds partnerships for impact to launch innovation programmes within the SDG framework promoting gender equity, climate action, sustainability, etc., and closely collaborates with numerous UN organisations including UNEP, UN Women, UNIDO, UNFCCC, UNDP, etc., ODAS, DFIs, national & regional governments, and other bilateral & multilateral institutions.
According to Anurag Maloo’s LinkedIn profile, prior to this, he spent six years as the Regional Manager for Asia-Pacific for Techstars, a worldwide platform for investment and innovation, helping to expand, develop, and stimulate local entrepreneurial ecosystems. He also seems to have played a key role in the establishment of Techstars India and the Bangalore Accelerator.
As an aspiring mountaineer, so far, his travels have taken him from the far south to the freezing and polar deserts of Antarctica to the far north hiking to the base of the highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest Basecamp, and travelling across high-altitude Himalayan Passes along the ancient trade cities on Silk Road to the vast, untamed grasslands and virgin landscapes of nomadic Mongolia to the various conflict regions around Asia.
