Himalayan Spy Mission | The Device | 1

Against The Odds

Wondery

Cassie De Pecol, History, Society & Culture, Dolby, Mike Corey, Dolby Atmos, Atmos

4.7 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 14 February 2023

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 1965, with Cold War tensions escalating, the CIA and India’s Intelligence Bureau joined forces to spy on China’s budding nuclear program. Satellites and spy planes at the time were unreliable, so the agencies hatched an unusual plan: place a nuclear-powered spying device atop Nanda Devi, the tallest mountain located entirely within India. The world’s best climbers from both America and India must scale the treacherous peak while carrying the dangerous device up to over 23,000 feet.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, Prime members, you can listen to against the odds at free on Amazon music. Download the app today.
0:15.3	Griccharon Singbangu swings his climbing axe above his head until it catches on a patch of ice.
0:22.1	He digs his crampons into the steep slope and pulls himself up, then swings his axe again. He's secured by safety ropes,
0:32.1	but the wind is so strong he feels like at any moment he could be flung off the narrow ridge and into the abyss.
0:40.1	He sees a ledge above him and presses up towards it. He's freezing and exhausted, but he knows he's close to the next camp,
0:49.1	where he can finally untether himself from the ropes and rest for a while. He pulls himself up over the ledge and sees two orange tents.
0:59.1	He's made it. He's reached camp 3 on India's Nunda Devi, the Himalayan mountain whose name translates to the bliss-giving goddess.
1:10.1	Bangu drops his backpack and lays down for a moment on the snow, trying to catch his breath. Up here, at 21,000 feet,
1:20.1	there's not enough oxygen for any breath to feel like a full moon. He closes his eyes and listens to the howl of the wind.
1:28.1	Then, he opens them again and takes in the spectacular view. Spread across the horizon before him, as far as the eye can see,
1:38.1	are the jagged, snowy peaks of the Himalayas. Bangu is a sick Indian from the Punjab region.
1:46.1	A former police officer, he fell in love with climbing seven years ago and has been part of several major ascents.
1:55.1	Earlier just this year, he was part of the first Indian team to summit Mount Everest.
2:01.1	But climbing Nunda Devi with its narrow ridge lines and steep cliff walls is more challenging than anything he's ever done.
2:10.1	Bangu can't rest for long. He gets on to his knees and reaches over the edge to help up his climbing partner.
2:17.1	An American named Lut Jherstad. Jherstad looks even more exhausted than Bangu feels.
2:24.1	After getting over the ridge, Jherstad staggers toward the tents. It's the afternoon of October 10th, 1965,
2:33.1	and multiple climbing teams are spread all over the mountain, resting at base camp,
2:39.1	acclimatizing at higher elevations, or carrying gear between camps.
2:44.1	But there are three Sherpa climates that Bangu is keeping an especially close eye on.
2:50.1	A few minutes later, those Sherpas arrive at camp 3, each carrying a large backpack.
2:56.1	Two Sherpas gently put their packs down near one of the tents.
	...

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