- Family of Arun Kumar Tiwari chose to leave his body on Everest due to beliefs and risks
- Tiwari died near Hillary Step after falling ill during descent, assisted by four Sherpas
- Family cited religious belief that Everest is Lord Shiva's abode and recovery dangers
The family of Hyderabad-based mountaineer Arun Kumar Tiwari, who died while descending from Mount Everest last week, has decided to leave his body on the mountain, citing religious beliefs and the extreme dangers involved in recovery operations. Tiwari, a 53-year-old tech professional and experienced climber from Telangana, died near the Hillary Step, just below the summit, after reportedly falling ill during his descent. He was being assisted by four Sherpa climbers at the time, according to Nepal-based expedition organiser Pioneer Adventures.
His brother-in-law, Sudhir Upadhyaya, said the family believed Everest was the abode of Lord Shiva and felt it was appropriate to let him rest there permanently. He also pointed to the severe technical challenges involved in recovering bodies from such high altitudes, where harsh weather and lack of oxygen make rescue missions extremely risky.
"He (Tiwari) is in Lord Shiva's abode. The process of bringing the body... it would have been very badly damaged by the time it reaches us. Such operations there (Everest) are also not known to be successful," he told PTI on Wednesday.
Family members said their decision was not based only on financial considerations but also on what they believed he would have wanted as a mountaineer deeply connected to the Himalayas.
Tiwari was an accomplished mountaineer who had previously climbed peaks including Mount Elbrus, Denali, and Aconcagua, apart from several other expeditions. He had also attempted Everest in 2025 but turned back at around 7,200 metres due to health concerns before returning this year to complete his dream climb.
He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Another climber, US-based Sandeep Are, also died during the same Everest expedition after reportedly suffering snow blindness and extreme exhaustion. Unlike Tiwari, Are died near Camp III, allowing Sherpas to bring his body down to Camp II for helicopter evacuation.
Rescue is extremely risky due to Death Zone conditions
Recovering a body from Mount Everest is considered one of the most dangerous operations in mountaineering because of the extreme conditions in the mountain's 'Death Zone' - the area above 8,000 metres where oxygen levels are too low for the human body to survive for long.
Near the summit, including areas like the Hillary Step, climbers and rescuers face severe risks such as exhaustion, frostbite, avalanches, and altitude sickness. Even basic movement becomes physically draining due to the thin air and freezing temperatures.
Body recovery missions often require teams of eight to twelve experienced Sherpas carrying additional oxygen cylinders and specialised equipment across steep, icy terrain. The process can take several days and costs that can exceed $75,000 (Rs 71 lakh approximately).
Because of these dangers, many families choose to leave climbers on the mountain rather than risk more lives during retrieval attempts.
