Doctor Ritesh Goel, a saviour at 17,500 feet

For some 70 climbers at an Everest base camp that shook in the devastating earthquake in Nepal, Captain Ritesh Goel, an Army doctor, was a saviour from death.

Captain Goel, 28, from Bengaluru, who joined the Army six years ago, was part of a 30-member Army expedition team to the Everest. His stint in the Siachen came in handy in tackling the hostile conditions. He provided first-aid and stabilised the condition of nearly 70 climbers who had fractured their legs and hands and attended to eight persons with serious head injuries for about 14 hours before rescue helicopters arrived.

“There was a massive avalanche,” Major-General Ajay Sah told presspersons at the Army headquarters here. “There was utter chaos at the base camp situated at a height of 17,500 ft because an avalanche had engulfed a huge part of it.”

“Fortunately, our team had taken basic precautions and had undertaken counter-avalanche drills such as posting a lookout. The team was able to get out of the tents in time,” he said.