Kundapura native among 9 trekkers killed in Uttarkashi

Team Udayavani, Jun 7, 2024, 11:44 AM IST

Kundapura: A 50-year-old native from Kumbashi in Kundapura was among the nine trekkers, hailing from Karnataka, who tragically lost their lives at Sahasratal due to extreme weather conditions.

The trekkers were part of a 22-member team that set out for a 35-km trek from Uttarkashi organized by the Himalayan View Trekking Agency.

Padmanabha was the son of Krishnamurthy Bhat and Satyavati. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. Shri Harihara Nilaya on Koravadi Road in Kumbhashi is his ancestral home, where his uncle’s family currently resides.

Padmanabha was born and educated in Bengaluru. After completing his CA studies, he joined a private company and went to America on behalf of the company. He passed the CPA exam there. After returning to Bengaluru, he continued his service with the private company.

Travel Enthusiast

Padmanabha was a travel enthusiast and often went on trips with colleagues and friends. On May 29, he went on a trek to Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand with a group of 22 people.

The group began their descent from a height of 15,000 feet on June 4 afternoon after successfully completing the trek when they encountered icy winds blowing at speeds of up to 100 km/h. The group lost their base and did not find any support. The situation worsened as the winds blew for four hours. While few of the trekkers survived the ordeal, nine people succumbed to the cold winds.

Grief in Bengaluru

A stoic silence prevailed at Padmanabha Bhat’s residence in Bengaluru upon hearing the tragic news.

The Uttarakhand administration and the army launched the rescue operation to save the trekkers. The Karnataka government has also made arrangements to facilitate the return of its tourists.

Veterans of the Trek Among the Victims

Notably, the group included two women from Bengaluru who had trekked this mountain 34 times. They too succumbed to the tragedy. It is said that if the icy winds had blown an hour later, everyone would have survived.

Padmanabha Bhat had a deep affection for Kumbhashi. He supported the development of the Shri Harihara Temple in Kumbhashi, where his family performed rituals. He also contributed a silver mask to the Shri Nandikeshwara Daiva near Thekkatte. He had planned to return to his hometown in December to conduct a grand event in memory of his late father.