Army doctor volunteers to descend into 150-feet valley, saves fallen tourist

As she made her way down the steep hillside, carefully stepping over loose rocks, Army doctor Major Kavitha had only one mission in mind: to save Shivagurunathan, who lay unconscious deep inside a 150-foot gorge. After a relentless 14-hour effort, her team, led by Major Kavitha, successfully brought the young man to safety after he fell into the gorge in Gudalur, Tamil Nadu. The incident happened in the early hours of March 21 (Friday). It was the confidence she had gained from scaling mountains, along with her own experience of coming face to face with danger in the Brahmaputra River, that gave Kavitha the strength to descend into the gorge without hesitation. A trained mountaineer, Major Dr Kavitha Vasupalli serves at the Military Hospital in Wellington, Coonoor.

A daring rescue mission
It was around 11.30 pm on Thursday when Kavitha reached Shivagurunathan, who had fallen into a gorge near the Soojimalai Viewpoint at around 2 pm the same day, while trying to take a selfie. After all efforts by the Fire and Rescue Services failed, the rescue operation was handed over to the Army around 7 pm. A rescue team from the Madras Regiment based in Coonoor, along with a team of medical experts that included Kavitha, was deployed for the mission.

The distance from Coonoor to Gudalur is about two hours, and the team reached the Soojimalai Viewpoint by around 9.30 pm. The steep terrain made the descent extremely challenging. But as saving the life of the person trapped in the gorge was the top priority, a member of the medical team had to descend first. Given the high risk involved, there was initial uncertainty over who would go down. It was at this moment that Kavitha stepped forward voluntarily, taking on the daunting task without hesitation.

A descent into danger
As Kavitha was a female doctor, there was concern among the team about the risks involved. If she slipped on the dry leaves or the loose rocks, it could mean a fall into the deep gorge below. Since it was night, there was also the risk of wild animal attacks. Just about a year ago, a Malayali youth had died at this location after being stung by a swarm of wasps. Even the police approach the place with caution after dark.

But Kavitha stood unfazed as she had already made up her mind. The young man who had fallen into the gorge earlier that afternoon was unable to move. Reaching him quickly and providing first aid on the spot was crucial before he could be brought up safely. Otherwise, his life itself could be in danger. With only one thought in her mind to reach the injured man as quickly as possible and save his life, Kavitha moved forward without hesitation.

The descent
Around 10.30 pm, she began her descent, gripping the rope and inching her way down into the gorge. It was pitch dark all around, with the sounds of wild animals echoing in the distance. Banking on her confidence and resolve, Kavitha descended steadily into the depths, much like `Kuttettan in Manjummel Boys'. By around 11:30 pm, Kavitha reached the spot where Shivagurunathan lay, unable to move and without a pulse. The young man had fallen into the gorge in the afternoon, and as night fell, the biting cold only worsened his condition. He was not wearing adequate clothing to shield him from the cold, and his blood pressure was extremely low. With injuries across multiple parts of his body, he was at high risk of slipping into hypothermia, which posed a serious challenge for Kavitha.

Without delay, she administered primary care and gradually, his pulse began to return to normal. Given the severity of his injuries, it was crucial not to move the patient unnecessarily, and he had to be carefully lifted onto a stretcher. However, since he was lying on a slope, transferring him without causing further harm was a demanding task. Once his condition stabilised and his blood pressure improved, he was slowly and carefully secured onto the stretcher. By around 4 am, the young man was finally brought to the top of the hill.

A life defined by courage
Major Kavitha’s connection with adventure is not new. The rescue at Soojimalai Viewpoint is far from the first daring mission in her life. Earlier, in Arunachal Pradesh, she was part of a team that rescued a person who had fallen unconscious during a mountaineering expedition at Gorichen. This act of bravery earned her the Vishisht Seva Medal from the Indian Army.

She is also a world record holder in Brahmaputra river rafting. Major Kavitha Vasupalli made history by covering 1,040 kilometres along the Brahmaputra River in 28 days, travelling from Gelling village near the Indo-Tibetan border in Arunachal Pradesh to Hatsingimari in Assam. The journey, undertaken with a team of ten, was filled with immense challenges, and Kavitha was the only woman in the group.

She has also spoken about the dangers she faced during the expedition, including being submerged in the river and coming face to face with death when the water levels suddenly rose. Hailing from Metturu in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, Kavitha is the daughter of a railway clerk and a homemaker. She completed her MBBS at the Government Medical College in Srikakulam and joined the Indian Army in 2021, with a goal of serving the nation.

The women leaders who made it happen
Along with Kavitha, two other women played key leadership roles in the mission - Nilgiris Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru and District Police Superintendent N S Nisha. Working in close coordination, they ensured the smooth execution of the daring rescue operation. Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru, an officer from the 2015 civil services batch, has served in both Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. She took charge as the Nilgiris Collector in 2024 and had earlier served as Joint Commissioner in the Income Tax Department. N S Nisha, an officer from the 2014 Tamil Nadu Police cadre, currently serves as the Superintendent of Police in the Nilgiris. She had been with the Crime Branch in Chennai earlier and has been part of several high-profile investigations during her career.