Twenty four-year-old twins Tashi and Nungshi Malik do not dream small. With no aid from the Government, the twins have managed to conquer the highest peaks in all seven continents and reached North and South Poles, thanks to private funding from NRIs and ex-Army officers.

“People have asked us not to dream smaller than the moon and Mars,” says Tashi, a mountaineer from Haryana. The twins have created a record by becoming the fastest South Asians to complete the Explorers Grand Slam in two years and a month.

Their journey has been one of grit and determination coupled with financial hurdles.

“We finished school in 2009 and our father, an army personnel, sent our applications for a basic course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi. We had no idea that people could do this professionally, but once we ventured out and took up this challenge, it become clear that this is what we want to do,” says Nungshi.

Go-getters

Next year, they went back for an advanced course and climbed Mt Rudugaira (5,490 m). This instilled more confidence in them to conquer Mt Everest, a challenge that their mother, initially, did not approve of.

“Mum would freak out when we talked about Everest. We stopped talking about it, but continued our training,” says Tashi. Their mother would go to the instructors and request them to fail the twins in their tests. But, she realised their passion and gave the girls three choices on what to do with the family savings — get married, study in the US or climb Everest. It was clear what the girls chose.

They successfully conquered Everest in May 2013. “It felt like we ruled the world,” says Nungshi. Their fellow climbers suggested them to do the seven highest summits. “We thought we had already done two, why not the other five,” she said adding that the Mission was dedicated to Indian Girl Child.

Helping hands

But, financial hurdles soon surfaced. “We thought after a world record we would get financial support, like other sports do. However, the Government and corporates weren’t interested in supporting us. Fellow climbers were getting financial support and heading for their next climbs while we were stuck for our funding,” she says.

There was a silver lining. Individuals came forward. Few retired army officers and ONGC professionals contributed their one-month pension, while NRIs too chipped in. “In the midst of rigorous training, we were giving motivational talks so that we get some remuneration. For South Pole expedition, the Mahindras gave us aid,” Tashi says.

Are there any peaks left to conquer? “We want to write a book on our mission. We have gone through a lot and it’s an incredible story. Through our NungshiTashi foundation we are working on outdoors and adventure for girls in the Himalayas. The interest in mountaineering is also picking up, especially among the youth,” she adds.

Mindsets need to change, they say. “While male mountaineers manage to secure funding despite failed expeditions, it is a different picture for us,” Tashi says. But, it doesn’t matter where you come from or who you are, at least the mountains don’t discriminate, they say in unison.

The twins are also brand ambassadors of Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign of Uttarakhand government.

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