Chhanda Gayen was an Indian mountaineer from West Bengal, known for her ascents in the Himalayas and her work as a teacher of self-defence. A Bengali by origin, she combined a career in martial arts instruction with high-altitude climbing, and is remembered as one of the notable women climbers from eastern India.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Chhanda Gayen |
| Origin | West Bengal, India |
| Known for | Mountaineering, martial arts, exploration |
| Profession | Mountaineer, self-defence instructor, explorer, teacher |
| Language | Bengali |
Gayen came from a modest background in West Bengal and trained in martial arts before moving on to mountaineering. She taught self-defence, particularly to women and young students, alongside pursuing climbing expeditions in the Indian and Nepal Himalayas.
Gayen took up Himalayan climbing as a serious pursuit and undertook expeditions to several major peaks. Her summit attempts on the Kangchenjunga massif in the eastern Himalaya brought her wider recognition in Indian mountaineering circles. She went missing during a climbing expedition in this region, and her disappearance was reported in the Indian press as a significant loss to Bengali and Indian mountaineering.
Gayen is remembered for representing a generation of women climbers from eastern India who pursued high-altitude mountaineering despite limited institutional support, and for using her position to encourage self-defence training among women.