Naila Kiani (Urdu: نائلہ کیانی); is the leading Pakistani female high altitude mountaineer.[1] Kiani is the first Pakistani woman & overall third Pakistani to climb 11 of the 14 highest peaks above 8,000-metres. She is one of the ten mountaineers worldwide and the only Pakistani who climbed multiple (7 peaks) above 8000m in less than six months.[2] Kiani is also the fastest Pakistani (male or female) to climb all eleven 8,000-metre peaks in less than three years. [3]
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Native name | نائلہ کیانی |
| Born | Rawalpindi, Pakistan |
| Education | Queen Mary University of London |
| Occupation | Mountaineer |
| Climbing career | |
| Type of climber | |
| Updated on 21 April 2024 | |
She made headlines for her multidisciplinary achievements, excelling as an aerospace engineer from the School of Engineering and Materials Science at Queen Mary University of London, an Associate Vice President at HSBC bank, a competitive boxer, the top mountaineer and a mother of two small children while scaling the world's highest peaks.[4]
Kiani has been appointed as the National goodwill ambassador for girls’ education by the Ministry of Federal Education. [5] Kiani is a goodwill ambassador for several organisations supporting women's education and empowerment of youth through sports.[6]
Kiani is the only female athlete to receive Sitara-i-Imtiaz, the highest civilian honour given to any female athlete in Pakistan.[7]
Career
editIn July 2021, Kiani became the first Pakistani female mountaineer to ascend the 8,035-metre Gasherbrum II — the world's 13th highest mountain. She was also the first Pakistani female to climb any of the 8,000-metre peaks in Pakistan.[8]
Kiani became one of only two Pakistani women alongside Samina Baig to climb the 8,611-metre-high K2 — the 2nd highest mountain in the world in July 2022.[9]
Kiani reached the peak of the 8,080-metre high Gasherbrum I — the 11th highest mountain in the world in August 2022, the first Pakistani team to climb another mountain straight after K2.[10]
In April 2023, Kiani became the first Pakistani woman to scale the 8,091-metre Annapurna — the world's 10th highest mountain located in Nepal.[11]
Kiani became the second Pakistani woman to climb the 8,848-metre-high Mount Everest in May 2023.[12] Later in May 2023, Kiani became the first Pakistani woman to successfully climb the 8,516-metre Mount Lhotse — the world's 4th highest peak. She was the first Pakistani climber Lhotse two days after climbing Everest.[13]
In July 2023, Kiani became the first Pakistani woman to summit the 8,125-metre Nanga Parbat — the world's ninth-highest peak.[14][15] Later in July 2023, Kiani became the first Pakistani woman to summit the 8,051-metre tall Broad Peak — the world's 12th highest peak.[16][17] Kiani became the first Pakistani woman to climb all five of Pakistan's eight-thousanders.[18]
Kiani became the first Pakistani woman to climb 8,163-metre Manaslu peak in Nepal — the eighth-highest mountain in the world, in September 2023.[19][20]
In October 2023, Kiani became the first Pakistani woman to summit the 8,188-metre Cho Oyu — the world's sixth-highest peak.[21][22] Later in October 2023, Kiani and Sirbaz Khan called off their attempted ascent of Shishapangma peak in Tibet, after surviving an avalanche near its summit.[23][24]
In May 2024, Kiani climbed the 8,485 metres tall Makalu – the world’s fifth-tallest mountain – in Nepal.[25]
Awards and honours
editIn March 2024, the President of Pakistan conferred Sitara-i-Imtiaz to Kiani. Kiani is the only female athlete to receive Sitara-i-Imtiaz, the highest civilian honour given to any female athlete in Pakistan.[26][27][28]
References
edit- ^ reporter, staff (5 May 2024). "Dubai-based mountaineer Naila becomes first Pakistani woman to summit 11 peaks of over 8,000 metres". Gulf News.
- ^ Baig, Zulfiqar (23 December 2023). "Naila Kiani all set to break more records". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ reporter, staff (5 May 2024). "Dubai-based mountaineer Naila becomes first Pakistani woman to summit 11 peaks of over 8,000 metres". Gulf News.
- ^ Baig, Zulfiqar (23 December 2023). "Naila Kiani all set to break more records". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "PM urged to prioritise girls' education". The Express Tribune. 29 April 2024.
- ^ "Uphill Athlete trains Ascend Ambassador Naila Kiani".
- ^ "Mountaineer Naila gets Sitara-e-Imtiaz". The News. 25 March 2023.
- ^ "'Allah chose me': Dubai-based banker is first Pakistani woman mountaineer to summit Gasherbrum-II". Arab News. 4 August 2021.
- ^ Jamal, Sana (22 July 2022). "Samina Baig, Dubai-based Naila Kiani first Pakistani women to climb K2". Gulf News.
- ^ "Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit three peaks above 8,000m". The Express Tribune. 12 August 2022.
- ^ Nagri, Jamil (17 April 2023). "Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to scale Nepal's Annapurna peak". DAWN.
- ^ Nagri, Jamil (14 May 2023). "Naila Kiani becomes second Pakistani woman to scale world's highest peak Everest". DAWN.
- ^ "After Everest, Naila Kiani scales fourth highest peak Mount Lhotse". The News International. 16 May 2023.
- ^ Nagri, Jamil (2 July 2023). "Naila Kiani, Samina Baig become first Pakistani women to scale world's 9th highest peak Nanga Parbat". DAWN.
According to Alpine Club of Pakistan Secretary General Karar Haidri, Naila scaled the mountain at 10:18am today followed by Baig who completed her summit at 11:08am.
- ^ Lakhani, Faizan (2 July 2023). "Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit Nanga Parbat". Geo News.
- ^ Saleem, Muhammad (21 July 2023). "Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani summits Broad Peak". Business Recorder.
- ^ "Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to scale Broad Peak". Geo News. 20 July 2023.
- ^ "Naila becomes 1st Pakistani woman to summit country's 8000m peaks". The Express Tribune. 20 July 2023.
- ^ Nagri, Jamil (22 September 2023). "Naila, Sirbaz summit Nepal's Manaslu". DAWN.
- ^ "Naila Kiani conquers Mount Manaslu, breaks new ground". The Express Tribune. 21 September 2023.
- ^ Iqbal, Mussab (2 October 2023). "Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit sixth highest peak Cho Oyu". Samaa.
- ^ Nagri, Jamil (3 October 2023). "Naila Kiani, Sirbaz Khan become first Pakistani duo to summit world's 6th highest peak Cho Oyu". DAWN.
- ^ Nagri, Jamil (8 October 2023). "Naila, Sirbaz survive Tibet avalanche". DAWN.
- ^ "Two bodies recovered from Shishapangma, Tenjen, Rzucidlo still missing". The Himalayan Times. 8 October 2023.
- ^ Nagri, Jamil (5 May 2024). "Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit 11 8,000m peaks". DAWN.
- ^ "Mountaineer Naila gets Sitara-e-Imtiaz". The News. 25 March 2023.
- ^ "PM approves conferment of Sitara-i-Imtiaz on mountaineer Naila Kiani". APP. 17 May 2023.
- ^ "Several journalists among those granted civil awards in 2023". Aaj English TV. 14 August 2023.