Ahmedabad (PTI): When IPS officer Atul Karwal was climbing the heights of Mount Everest last month, he felt as if a divine energy was helping him to overcome all impediments.

"Though I am not a staunch believer in spirituality, I felt while climbing Everest that there was some divine energy which was helping me during the expedition and making my task easier."

Karwal, 45, is a 1988 batch IPS officer from Gujarat. He conquered the world's highest peak on May 22 after being selected for the Mount Everest Expedition 2008 under the aegis of the Central Intelligence Bureau.

He was the first person from Gujarat to participate in the expedition and to conquer Mount Everest after being selected among the 11 mountaineers.

Karwal said he would like to climb Everest all over again. "If given another change I would definitely like to climb it all over again." He made a photo presentation of his long journey on the occasion.

Karwal said there were 20 members in his team which included five non-climbing staff, doctors, cook and helpers besided 15 climbers -- 11 from paramilitary forces and four from police. Two of the team members were women.