In a ceremony held in the city, the association handed over the national tricolour, the Karnataka state emblem and the KMA flag, along with ice axes, to Santhosh Devarajappa and Chinmayi Trishulamurthy. The duo is scheduled to attempt the summit during the peak climbing window of April and May.

The climbers will take the traditional South Col route from the Nepal side to reach the summit of the world's highest peak, which stands at 29,031 feet above sea level.

Navigating thin air

Speaking about the upcoming challenge, the mountaineers acknowledged the physical and environmental hurdles ahead.

"At that altitude, the combination of frequent avalanches and the thin air, or low oxygen levels, poses a significant challenge," the duo stated. "However, drawing from our previous climbing experience, we are confident in our preparation. We believe Mission Everest-8848m will be a success."

The expedition holds special significance as it coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Karnataka Mountaineering Association. By sponsoring its own members for this elite feat, KMA aims to bolster the spirit of adventure sports in the state.

The flagging-off event saw the presence of several dignitaries, including Tulasi Maddineni, Secretary, Backward Classes Welfare Department; Manjunath Prasad N, retired IAS officer; Nagendra, Secretary of KMA; and Sudhakar, senior member of the association.