The first woman from Uttar Pradesh to climb Mt Everest, squadron leader Toolika Rani, has been appointed as SVEEP (systematic voter education and electoral participation) Ambassador for Lucknow to spread voter awareness and increase voter participation in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls 2022.
Starting in 2009, SVEEP is the flagship programme of the Election Commission of India under which voters are made aware of their right to vote, its power to strengthen democracy and the general process of voting.
Toolika would participate in various activities organised by the state administration as SVEEP Ambassador in women institutions, educational institutions and among the general public to create awareness among people and to encourage and enable them to exercise their right to vote actively and judiciously.
CDO (chief development officer) Ashwin Kumar Pandey has issued a letter in this regard and has sent it to the district magistrate, basic education officer, district panchayat raj officer, assistant district election commissioner, assistant information commissioner etc.
Toolika also has to her credit 23 mountaineering and trekking expeditions in Russia, India, Africa, Nepal and Iran. She has climbed Asia’s highest volcano Mt. Damavand in Iran and is the first Indian woman to do so.
She has trained hundreds of future officers in military training while serving in Indian Air Force for ten years. Including Rani Laxmi bai Veerta Puruskar she has been felicitated with 14 awards by the Uttar Pradesh government.
She has delivered over 130 talks and interviews in India, USA, UK, Bulgaria and Italy as a motivational speaker. ‘Sahitya Shree’ Award by Rubaru Foundation, Lucknow has been awarded to her recently published book, ‘Beyond That Wall” Redemption on Everest’.
