JOIN USMajor Deepika Rathore, who recently became the only woman from Rajasthan — and perhaps from the Indian Army as well — to scale the Everest twice, talks to Abha Sharma
It was serene and beautiful. As I sat alone at the highest peak awaiting my teammates, I was so overwhelmed that tears rolled down my cheeks. But I quickly wiped them and said to myself: ‘I should capture this moment and enjoy it’. In that hour I felt as if I was close to God.”
Tenacious, spirited, modest, athletic, fun-loving, warm… there are many words to describe Major Deepika Rathore, who recently became the only woman from Rajasthan – and perhaps from the Indian Army as well – to scale the mighty Everest for a second time, as part of the National Cadet Corps’ (NCC) first expedition of 10 girls between 19-21 years of age. Although she belongs to a state where it’s common for girls to give up their dreams and settle for a life of quiet domesticity, Major Deepika, who hails from the valorous but conservative Rajput clan, is glad that she has been able to set an example that busts the myth “that girls are the weaker sex and thus not fit for great feats”.
At first glance, Deepika looks like the typical girl-next- door, pretty and rather lean; there are no overt signs of her being a world-class mountaineer and athlete – she’s neither very tall nor very muscular. So the obvious question that comes to mind: summiting the Everest is no ordinary feat; how did she manage it; where’s the hidden physical strength? A smile lights up her face as she says, “Yes, you do need physical strength for such expeditions but more than that you need mental strength. It is the test of your indomitable courage and strong willpower to face the challenges and hurdles that come on the way.”
Deepika talks about the long, tough journey she has traversed to pursue her passion for climbing. “I come from a desert state so the mountains have always fascinated me. I signed up for the basic course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi, in 2002. These days, there is a lot of buzz around mountaineering but 15 years back, there was hardly any awareness or information on it,” she shares.
Naturally, there was a lot of apprehension in the family when she told them about her plans. Indeed, the immediate reaction was what if she met with an accident during training, who would marry her then? “One of my father’s friends who supported my decision and convinced them that accidents can happen even at home and it shouldn’t stop me from giving mountaineering a go,” she elaborates.
Her stint at NIM was useful and rewarding; she got good grades and went on to complete the advanced course with flying colours. Thereafter, she performed well in the expeditions as well. In 2011, she got married to Jitendra Singh Shekhawat, a merchant navy engineer, who has been backing her career ever since.
Jitendra, who has flown in from Bangkok, where he is presently posted, to celebrate his wife’s recent feat, says, “We married in March and she was off for training in June to prepare for her first climb to the Everest. She was posted in the Leh-Ladakh sector when she came to know of the All Army Everest Expedition.”
Why scale Everest a second time? Deepika says, “I was approached to lead a batch of NCC girls. I have been a cadet myself and owe much to the training I got there so this was a chance to give back. In the first expedition, I had to explore and concentrate on my goal. However, this time it was far more challenging because I was aware of the dangers and I had the additional responsibility of mentoring a group of young cadets,” she explains.
This was NCC’s maiden expedition for which 10 girls from across India were selected after a rigorous test. Incidentally, the team left Siachen just a day before the deadly avalanche in which many Indian soldiers, including Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad, were buried alive.
As her group undertook the tortuous journey up the great peak, they faced many hardships. Deepika elaborates, “Apart from the physical distress, loss of appetite, and the load on the back – the physical instruments are heavy and even the shoes weigh almost five kilos – the casualties one encounters on the way are enough to pull anyone down. One time, we were scaling up smoothly and suddenly we saw a water bottle, then a bag and some other belongings, followed by dead bodies sliding down, including five Indians and one American woman. I told my group: ‘Salute the great mountaineers and move ahead.”
Though she is glad that they made it, Deepika doesn’t think she would be going back again. “I don’t think my family will be able to take the stress,” she says.
As she accepts rich praise and felicitations, the proud officer emphatically says, “If a girl gets the right opportunity, encouragement and support, the sky is the limit for her.”