An internationally-recognized adventurer, a motivational speaker, and the Indian President’s ambassador for the national campaign, ‘Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter’, Deeya Bajaj lives her life scaling new heights and redefining entrenched perceptions about Indian women.
Some of the amazing exploits of this adventurous mountaineer include climbing six of ‘The Seven Summits’ (highest mountain on each continent), skiing across the Greenland ice-sheet, and being the first father-daughter duo to climb Mt. Everest from the north. When not preparing for her next adventure or exploration, this 25-year-old is busy motivating and setting an example for young girls, or working at the non-profit, ‘Ganga Vatika Home for Girls’, that she helped found.
Deeya has touched over 10 million people through her energetic personality, appearing on videos, talk-shows and media appearances advocating for women empowerment, gender equality and girls rights in India. Among her list of accolades is the personal felicitation that she received from Indian President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhawan (President’s House); earning the ‘Rotary Shreyas Award’ in recognition of ‘challenging gender norms and successfully scaling Mt. Everest’, and the TIE Aspire Young Achievers Award in appreciation of ‘unrivalled contributions as a role model for the Youth of India’ and the ‘Meri Dilli Award’ in the category of Adventure sports.
Deeya Bajaj recently sat down with The Times Kuwait for an exclusive interview to speak about her adventures and reaching for new heights with each step in life.
She begins by admitting that adventure has always been a very big part of her life. “I grew up hearing about climbing lofty mountains and going on adventurous treks; listening to tales of rafting, scuba diving, encounters with wildlife and skiing trips to the Poles.
“My father was the first Indian to ski to the North and the South Pole, and my parents own an adventure tourism company in India, so outdoor adventure was always with me. I think I went on my first trek before I could even walk. Mountaineering has always been a very, very big part of my life; you could say, the mountains have always called out to me.
“My first experience with an intense mountaineering situation was when I was twelve. I went on my first adventure course, and took part in a small but intense climb. It was amazing, and I was hooked for life. I did my advance mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and train intensely before each climbing expedition.”
Asked about the challenges and other aspects of mountaineering, she says, “Climbing each mountain is different and each has its own challenges, but once you reach the summit, the experience is incredible and humbling. When you go up on these mountains and get to experience Mother Nature in all its wonder, when you see the beauty and majesty of these peaks, you realize that no matter how many mountains you climb or how high, there is nothing we humans can do in terms of conquering them.
“Climbing Everest was a childhood dream. There is something absolutely beautiful and magical about that mountain, and being up at the summit, the top of the world, just as the sun was rising, I think that was just one of the most incredible moments I have ever experienced in my life.
“I have been fortunate in being able to scale six of the top summits on the seven continents, and I consider myself blessed that I completed it successfully and returned safely each time. As my dad says, ‘Climbing up is optional, but coming down is mandatory.’ Of the seven summits the one remaining challenge is Mount Denali in Alaska, the tallest on the North American continent. I am looking forward to climbing this too and have already begun my training, including some pretty hardcore cardio, strength training and going out on some high altitude climbs among other things.”
In response to her greatest challenge so far, Deeya replied, “Ironically, my toughest expedition so far was not a climb, but a skiing adventure. At 17, I participated in the 550-km Trans-Greenland Skiing Expedition, which took me across the Greenland ice cap. It was a very intense expedition; we camped out for 19 days and faced temperatures that usually dropped down to minus 40 degrees centigrade.
“At that age, it was both physically and mentally very taxing for me, but the experience taught me valuable lessons on endurance and persistence. Since then, I have been using the lessons learned from that expedition, and have been able to toughen my body and mind while preparing for any expedition that followed.”
Her advice to someone wanting to start mountaineering, “Start slow. begin with a small climb and then build it up from there to more hardcore expeditions. It is very exciting to say that climbing Everest is your dream, but you need to work towards realizing that dream, and this involves commitment to prepare yourself and train really, really hard.. But you have to prepare and train really, really hard.
“All those Instagram pictures you see of people on top of summits, they always look so fantastic, but what you never get to see the other side of the story; the hard work or the uncomfortable conditions. It is challenging both mentally and physically. Don’t take the mountains lightly, train hard, prepare well, start slow and then, you know, aim for the top!”
Asked about her role model, Deeya immediately points to her father as her inspiration, “But there are also so many fantastic female mountaineers, and each one of them is doing amazing things. I draw inspiration from each and every person that I meet.
“Also, the type of friends you make when you are outdoors, when disconnected from modern conveniences and technology, is totally different. One of the things that keeps bringing me back is the connections I make with the people I meet during these expeditions.”
Speaking about her charitable ventures, she explained, “Initially the Ganga Vatika Home was only for boys. I decided to open it up for girls with the help of my parents. I used the Greenland skiing expedition to raise funds for a Ganga Vatika Home for Girls; and now, some eight years since we started, we are providing boarding and education to 40 girls whose parents are ill and unable to support them.”
Highlighting how important giving back to the community is to her, she says, “I think giving back is such an important part of mountaineering. When you’re out there living with just the basic necessities, you are content with fighting for just the basic things in life. I think it really puts everything else into perspective. I also feel a lot about empowering our girls, and doing what I can.”
Christina Pinto
Staff Writer
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