Hyderabad-based tech professional Arun Kumar Tiwari died while descending Mount Everest near the Hillary Step after summiting the peak. His family has decided to leave his body on the mountain, citing religious beliefs and extreme risks and costs of recovery.
Published Date – 27 May 2026, 05:51 PM
Hyderabad: A 53-year-old Hyderabad-based tech professional, Arun Kumar Tiwari, died while descending Mount Everest near the Hillary Step last week, after successfully reaching the summit. Following the tragedy, his family has decided to leave his body on the mountain, citing religious beliefs and the extreme risks involved in recovery operations from the “death zone”.
Tiwari reportedly collapsed near the Hillary Step at an altitude of around 8,790 metres during his descent after summiting Everest. He began vomiting blood and succumbed despite attempts by Sherpa climbers to administer supplemental oxygen.
Expedition organiser Pioneer Adventure said recovery of the body from above 8,000 metres is extremely dangerous and logistically complex.
The company initially quoted USD 114,000 (Rs 1.1 crore) for manual recovery, later reducing it to USD 94,000 (Rs 89.7 lakh) as a concession. Officials said such operations are separate from standard climbing packages and involve significant risk.
Pioneer Adventure owner Nivesh Karki said evacuation from the death zone requires a team of 8–10 Sherpas and can take several days, with rescuers exposed to avalanches, extreme cold and oxygen shortage. Helicopter evacuation is only possible up to Camp II, making higher-altitude recovery operations nearly impossible.
Tiwari’s family said the decision was not driven by cost alone but also by faith and his deep connection with the Himalayas. His brother-in-law said the family believes the Himalayas are the abode of Lord Shiva and viewed his death as a spiritual “samadhi”.
Tiwari, who had previously attempted Everest in 2025, is survived by his wife and two daughters.
