Swarnalata Dalai is all set to scale a new high next month.

The 22-year-old tribal woman from Jagadhia village in Jajpur district of Odisha, who climbed Mount Everest in 2018, will be joining Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) as an instructor on contract basis next month.

Instructors conduct the TSAF’s annual outdoor leadership programmes in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand, and areas surrounding Jamshedpur.

Swarnalata is already on a learning curve, leading teams of adventure junkies to Tumung, a rocky address in East Singhbhum, Dimna lake and Dalma hills under the TSAF’s umbrella as an apprentice.

“I am in Jamshedpur since February 2 and conducting programmes at Tumung, Dimna lake and Dalma hills. I love adventure and joining TSAF is a good thing happening to me,” Swarnalata said.

Since people in her village don’t prefer girls to venture out of their homes, getting a job in Jamshedpur's elite adventure outfit is a big thing for Swarnalata who will be appearing for her BA third-year exams next month from Jenapur Degree College in Jajpur.

Bachendri Pal, Tata Steel’s chief of adventure programmes and the first Indian woman to scale Everest, had met Swarnalata in Odisha last month and the job was discussed. “I was very happy to hear about the job from Madam (Bachendri) who is my idol. I love Jamshedpur and have reason to be excited as I would be working with dedicated people. I feel pride to be associated with TSAF,” Swarnalata said.

She comes from a poor family. Swarnalata’s father is a landless farmer and her mother a homemaker. She has two sisters and a younger brother.

Recollecting her adventure to the world’s highest peak, the unassuming Swarnalata said it was like a dream come true.

“I was very excited when I was selected for the Everest expedition. It was a risky and challenging job. Reaching the top gave me lot of satisfaction and a sense of pride.'

Swarnalata apart, that TSAF Everest expedition team also included Sandeep Tolia of Jamshedpur and Poonam Rana from Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand.

Swarnalata was passionate about mountains from her childhood. She would run through the green village fields and dream about scaling the hills.

She had also scaled Mount Aconcagua (22,960 ft) in Argentina in February 2018.