Nepal floods: Maharashtra mountaineers to help trace missing Kailash trekkers

Akhil Maharashtra Giryarohan Mahasangh is reaching out to local families and disseminating information about the official identification process being carried out by the Government of Nepal and the Embassy of India, Kathmandu.

3 min readPuneUpdated: Sep 2, 2026 06:11 PM IST

Families whose first-degree relatives are missing in the Nepal disaster have been asked to check the Nepal Police website for photographs and details of the recovered deceased persons. (PTI photo)

With many in Maharashtra still waiting for information about their missing relatives in the recent Nepal floods, the State Government has requested the mountaineering fraternity in the state to coordinate and expedite the rescue efforts.

“So far there is no adequate data on the number of people from Maharashtra who were in Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar trek in Nepal,” veteran mountaineer and president of Akhil Maharashtra Giryarohan Mahasangh (AMGM) Umesh Zirpe told The Indian Express.

As part of the AMGM, over 40 organisations and over 500 mountaineer volunteers have been involved in rescue operations since 2016. “Known as Maharashtra Mountaineers Rescue Coordination Centre (MMRCC), the main reason for setting it up was to expedite and help in the rescue efforts. We also set up a 24/7 helpline (7620230231),” Zirpe said.

MMRCC’s long-standing experience in the mountainous regions of Nepal, along with its extensive network across Maharashtra, enables it to act as a bridge between bereaved families in remote parts of the state and the official identification process being conducted in Kathmandu.

“Our aim is to collect all relevant information through a single, organised mechanism so that no affected family in Maharashtra is left without guidance and the State Government has complete and reliable information required for further action,” Zirpe said. As part of this initiative, the district association of AMGM is reaching out to local families and disseminating information about the official identification process being carried out by the Government of Nepal and the Embassy of India, Kathmandu.

For several families in Maharashtra, timely and accurate information is highly important to help them move beyond the prolonged uncertainty and proceed with the next steps. The identification of deceased persons, particularly in cases where DNA matching is required, is a highly time-sensitive process,” Zirpe said.

Meanwhile, families whose first-degree relatives are missing in the Nepal disaster have been asked to check the Nepal Police website for photographs and details of the recovered deceased persons: https://udb.nepalpolice.gov.np/disasters. They can also fill out the official Google Form circulated by MMRCC, irrespective of whether the missing relative has been identified on the website or not https://forms.gle/GWXJ3Cs2iYu898Gn7

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In cases where identification is not possible through photographs or other available information, the Government of Nepal is facilitating DNA matching with first-degree relatives, Zirpe said, adding that information submitted will be kept strictly confidential and will be used solely for the identification of missing persons and the process of transferring the remains, in coordination with the State Government.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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