A tribute to the late Leyla Esfandiari

Leyla Esfandiari was born in Tehran in 1970. The life style she chose for herself ran counter to the traditional one that the religious authorities expected of Iranian women. She ignored official stereotypes and set out instead to demonstrate her talents and strength by achieving great personal success.

Shahrzadnews: A year ago today, celebrations at the news that Leyla Esfandiari had successful reached the 8035 meter summit of Gasherbrum II were marred by reports that she had died on the way down the Himalayan mountain. Iran’s mountaineering community were shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic loss of a unique sportswoman and dedicated women’s rights activist. She was buried at the spot where she died, according to wishes to that effect laid down in her will.

Leyla Esfandiari was born in Tehran in 1970. The life style she chose for herself ran counter to the traditional one that the religious authorities expected of Iranian women. She ignored official stereotypes and set out instead to demonstrate her talents and strength by achieving great personal success.
After studies in microbiology, Leyla decided to become a mountaineer when she was thirty. In 2010 she conquered K2, the second highest Himalayan summit, and was appointed head of the Iranian Men’s Mountaineering Organisation.

The state-run media of the day ignored Leyla’s achievement, for two reasons. On the one hand the Iranian government had various quarrels with the Damavand Mountaineering Club, of which Leyla was a member. Secondly, they had serious problems with Leyla herself, whom they regarded as a dissident activist. She received no money from government-sponsored sports bodies, and had to fund her expeditions herself by selling her home.

According to Leyla’s sister, the problems began when Leyla was interviewed on television with neither headscarf nor Islamic hejab.
Only after her death, when she was no longer seen as a threat, did the authorities’ attitude change. The national media praised her achievement, and the Mountaineering Federation sent a message of condolence to her family.

Leyla’s concern for Iran’s social and political problems led her to join the street protests against the rigged presidential elections in 2009, when she was badly injured during a beating from members of the Basij Militia.
A year after her death, the memory of her name is as solid as the challenging mountains that she conquered in her short life. There are still some unanswered questions however. Did she have the necessary knowledge and equipment to head the team that tackled the mountain? On what criteria were her fellow mountaineers selected? What were the actual circumstances in which she and others fell during their return to camp? Were her fall and subsequent death just an accident?

- Shahrzadnews