Soon after her police training, when she was posted as SDPO in Law & Order in Nellore in 2009, Radhika G.R. Addl SP, Principal Police TRG College, decided to maintain a healthy lifestyle. “Since childhood, I was involved in adventurous activities. I went rock climbing, riding bicycles, swimming and trekking. I purchased a treadmill and till today, I run on it,” says Radhika, who cycles 12 km and runs 2 miles around OU. Her Mansarovar Yatra in 2012 ignited her passion for mountaineering.
“We can organise our schedule if we are really passionate about doing certain things. Wherever I worked, irrespective of the posting, I allot time for my fitness,” she says. To get trained in mountaineering, Radhika went to Jammu & Kashmir.
“I finished the basic and advanced mountaineering courses from the Defence Ministry, sponsored by Jawaharlal Institute of Mountaineering and Winter sports, Pahalgam, J&K. I trained in rock climbing, snow climbing and how to save myself in avalanches and other mountain related accidents. I climbed Mt Golep Kangri (ht 5998 mt). After that I learnt skiing and stayed in Gulmarg for 45 days to see if my body can withstand cold climates,” she says and adds, “In the same year, I climbed Mt Menthosa (6443 Mt) in Himachal Pradesh.”
She was the only South Indian woman in a team of 11 members, to climb Mt Menthosa. Later in 2015, she climbed Mt Kun (7007 mt), in Kargil. On May 20, 2016, she climbed the Mt Everest.
“I applied for Mt Everest expedition through the department and the present Principal Secretary for Home, Rajiv Trivedi, recommended my name to the government,” she says.
She was the only woman climber in the team. “I used to run 5 km daily, and bicycled 10 km to increase leg strength, and also lifted 10 kg weight to improve hand strength, swam for an hour, while practising underwater swimming, without breathing for a stretch of 25mts.”
The Journey
“Sub-Zero temperatures, heavy snow fall, strange foreign language and food were a bit problematic. On the way to camp one in the first round, I was on the second day of my period — had heavy bleeding and did not have a place to change my sanitary napkin. On the last night of the climb, the water flask lid got completely frozen — I simply ate snow! I was served boiled green lettuce leaves and cucumber.’’
Challenges
“My younger child was worried and had asked me what would happen if I died during the expedition. That question haunted me sometimes,” she says.
Some even questioned her when she was climbing the mountain, ‘what do you get from climbing?’ “I can only say, I don’t get anything. I simply lose — I lose my ego, I lose my fears,” she says.
