ET Women's Forum: Go for your own 'Everest' one step at a time

Kaamya Karthikeyan, who recently became the youngest woman in the world to complete the seven summits, believes that being a mountaineer has taught her humility and strength. "I've learned that you're actually capable of so much more than your mind convinces you that you're capable of," Karthikeyan said in a chat at the fourth edition of The Economic Times Women's Forum.

Karthikeyan, who holds the record for having reached the summits of the highest mountains across seven continents, is now prepping for the Explorer Grand Slam, which involves skiing to the South and North Pole. "I am preparing to ski traverse to the South Pole this December, so that's the next big mission," she said.

Starting with her first trek at the age of seven, Karthikeyan set off on her first expedition of the seven summits nearly eight years back. Every mountain that she climbed has not only been a new challenge but has also given her a unique takeaway, she believes. Yet, Everest remains her favourite.


"It is a dream for every single mountaineer out there," she said. "It is just a wonderful experience because you are on the mountain for two months trying to get to that summit where you stay for 15 minutes maximum."

Everest is also the mountain where Karthikeyan has had one of her toughest moments. On the second last day of the summit, extreme weather forced 250 out of a group of 300 people to turn back to the camp, aborting the climb for the day. Another tough part of treks is the descent, she said.

For Mount Everest, Karthikeyan spent two-thirds of her 21-hour trek on the return.

"Most of the accidents on an expedition happen on the way down because you're in exhilaration because of the summit," she said. When asked about her advice for young girls, Karthikeyan said while there would be barriers in each field, the best way to tackle them would be to keep putting one foot in front of the other again and again, to reach their own Everest.

With time, Karthikeyan has also been able to balance her training, education, friends and family with extra-curricular activities. "I think when you have the passion for something and you love it very much, it won't feel like a sacrifice."