High Stakes on Everest: Court Halts Vikram Award Decision

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued a temporary stay on awarding the Vikram Award for 2023 to mountaineer Bhawna Dehariya following a petition by fellow climber Megha Parmar. The decision comes amid claims that Parmar also deserves the award, having scaled Mount Everest before Dehariya.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has temporarily halted the presentation of the Vikram Award for adventure sports to mountaineer Bhawna Dehariya for 2023. This decision follows a petition by another climber, Megha Parmar, who argues she is also entitled to the accolade.

A single-judge bench, led by Justice Vishal Mishra, permitted amendments to the petition and set a further hearing for January 5. Parmar, hailing from Sehore, contends she reached Everest's summit hours before Dehariya in 2019.

The petitioner, represented by senior advocate Vivek Krishna Tankha, highlighted past amendments to award rules and argued for the suspension of the award ceremony until the petition's resolution. The court ordered that no award ceremony occur before the next hearing.

(With inputs from agencies.)