At 60, there is no stopping Bachendri Pal. In a society which worships youth, Bachendri Pal continues to defy all norms.
Thirty years ago, Bachendri Pal did it by climbing Mount Everest. Today she is training other girls to do the same but is making sure that she takes part in various mountaineering expeditions.
Speaking on the sidelines of the flagging off ceremony of the Indian Women’s Expedition to Kharta Valley. Bachendri Pal insists that for her it is not about physical ageing but mental alertness.
“I am 60 now but that does not bother me at all. Mountaineering or any other adventure sports is not only about physical fitness; one should be brave at heart, have a solid mind, strong will power and the can-do spirit. I see many youngsters who are physically fit but are handicapped at heart.”
Though Bachendri Pal has achieved the ultimate in a mountaineer’s life, she is not ready to sit back and bask in glory. She says, “I have so many dreams to fulfil and for fulfilling all my dreams I feel my life is too short. I am trying to grow confidence in our youngsters and help them become good and responsible citizens. I train them and at times get inspiration from them which helps me in keeping my fitness level high.”
Bachendri has also led an Indo-Nepalese Women’s Mount Everest Expedition in 1993 which set benchmarks for Indian mountaineering when seven women reached the summit. The fire to do something more has been burning in her heart ever since she was a little girl when she was in Nakuri, her birthplace which is a village in Uttarakhand.
“It is our lifestyle, of the villagers living in hilly areas. Our upbringing is quite adventurous, we get to train automatically because of the geographical conditions. There were no restrictions from my family. Once on a school picnic at the age of 12, I climbed a peak of 13,123 ft which developed the zeal for mountaineering in me. Girls were unable to study beyond the primary classes and people around always discouraged but I did my graduation and became the first woman in the village to have graduated. Then I went on to complete my Masters and then B.Ed.”
Then came the moment of glory on the May 23, 1984 when all Indians applauded her feat of reaching the top of the Everest. She still recalls the feeling, “I was the only woman in the group. We reached the summit in the early hours of the day climbing over sheets of ice, cold winds were blowing at very high speed and the temperature was as low as -30° Celsius. I knew I have created history and made not only my parents but every Indian proud.”
As the saying goes you can’t better the Everest but Bachendri Pal is determined to do it again and again and again. This time by guiding six girls for Kharta Valley. In due course she hopes that one of her new companions on the expedition or maybe some other girl from the hills will be inspired to conquer the loftiest mountain in the world.
“Life post 1984 has gone into training people. I like everybody to be adventurous and learn about ways to combat natural calamities at school level so as at the time of an earthquake, flood or landslide we should not have to depend on the Army alone. Common people should be trained to take emergency measures like in the recent Jammu and Kashmir floods people made improvised rafts to cross the swollen river.”
