October 3, 2025 | 01:05 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Clara Sumarwati, the first Indonesian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, has passed away at the age of 60. Her sister, Rita Heru Setyatini, confirmed that Clara died on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 04:10 PM WIB.
“Her blood sugar spiked, then she collapsed,” Rita told reporters in a WhatsApp message.
Furqon Ulya Himawan, author of Indonesia Menjejak Everest, a book chronicling Clara’s historic climb in the Himalayas, said his last direct communication with her was during the book’s launch on September 26, 2019. Since then, he had mostly stayed in touch through Rita. “Mbak Clara didn’t carry a mobile phone,” Furqon explained.
Health Struggles Before Her Passing
Shortly after their last meeting, news emerged that Clara was undergoing health therapy in Purworejo, Central Java. On Wednesday, October 1, her blood sugar reportedly rose after consuming a carbonated drink, forcing her to spend much of the day resting.
“In the evening, she seemed calmer and asked to sleep in her late mother’s room,” Furqon recounted. “She was escorted there by her sister, and the next afternoon she passed away.”
Clara will be laid to rest today at TPU Sidikan, Pandeyan Village, Umbulharjo District, Yogyakarta, with a blessing ceremony.
A Historic Climb to the Roof of the World
Clara’s death comes nearly three decades after her extraordinary feat. On September 26, 1996, just weeks after Indonesia celebrated its 50th Independence Day, Clara became the first Indonesian woman to conquer Mount Everest. Her expedition was sponsored by the 50 Years of Indonesian Independence Committee, led by then-State Secretary Minister Moerdiono.
She reached the 8,848-meter summit via the southern route after a failed attempt two years earlier through the north, which was halted by a severe storm.
At just 29 years old, Clara made the historic ascent accompanied by five sherpas—Kaji, Gyalzen, Ang Gyalzen, Dawa Tshering, and Chuwang Nima. She stood at the top of the world for about 10 minutes in brutal conditions, with temperatures plummeting to minus 40–60 degrees Celsius.
Unfortunately, both of her cameras froze in the extreme cold, leaving her without photographic proof of the achievement. As a result, her success was initially met with skepticism, though it has since been recognized as a landmark moment in Indonesian mountaineering.
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