BHUBANESWAR 17-Mar-2011 151
Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) employee Ganesh Chandra Jena’s long-time desire to scale Mount Everest looks brighter to bore fruit with sponsors coming forward to support his venture.
Tata Steel today joined the list of sponsors by contributing Rs 1 lakh to the mountaineer at Bhubaneswar. Jena is scheduled to set out on his two-month-long expedition from Kathmandu (Nepal) on March 29. The Everest expedition is estimated to cost him a total of Rs 22 lakhs. ``Thanks to sponsorship from different quarters, I have managed to raise Rs 17 lakhs so far,’’ disclosed Jena on Friday.
Other sponsors include Nilachal Ispat Nigam Limited (Rs 2 lakhs), Nalco, Orissa Cement Limited, Keonjhar Collector (Rs 1 lakh each); Jindal Steel, Bhubaneswar Development Authority and Adhunik Metalics (Rs 50,000 each).
Jena is hoping to become the second person from Orissa to conquer Mount Everest. Earlier, Dhenkanal woman Kalpana Dash achieved the feat at the age of 43 on May 21, 2008.
