Extreme temperatures, hunger, acute physical discomfort, one
misstep and goodbye to your life, no rescue and no hope of rescue for even your
remains: but you heave yourself up for one more time and hey! You are on top of
the world. Literally.
Arjun Vajpai was barely 16 years when he became the youngest
India to scale Mount Everest in 2010. He was in school then. At
FICCI’s TURF 2013 in October, he is a strapping and confident young man of twenty
and totally enamoured by the Mountains.
Arjun Vajpai at FICCI TURF 2013, 23 & 24th October. |
“Climbing Mount Everest was definitely a challenge but
convincing my parents, especially my mother was a bigger challenge” recalls the
young Mountaineer who has since then gone on to conquer Mt. Lhotse and Mt.
Manaslu both in the above 8000 metres above sea level and continues to be the
youngest Indian to have done so. Three down out of his bucketlist of the 14 highest
summits around the world. Mt. Kilimanjaro and K2 are on his list among others.
“Among mountaineers, Mt Everest is definitely an important
achievement but there are other even more challenging summits. For me, it is
the feeling of surmounting the difficulty that a mountain presents. It is an
intimate connection because you are basically on your own. You have to trust
your instincts and be physically and mentally fit. Mountaineering has taught me
patience, focus and to take failure in my stride”
A typical day in his life would include over fourteen hours
of endurance building exercise activities when preparing for the next climb. “I
sport a big belly when I start out on a climb but by the time I return, I am
down to my bony self. My parents are my support system.”
When asked if he had a timeline in mind to fulfill his dream
of climbing the other summits on his list, he is very practical. “It takes time
to prepare physically for it. There is also the issue of funding. I have some
sponsors now but I am still working at funding from the Government of India. I
am looking at the next 7-10 years to make more climbs. There is also the
important factor of weather and climactic conditions that can make or break a
climb. There have been occasions when we had to abandon a climb. Those are
factors to consider. ”
This young role model continues to inspire and educate many
people, young and old about mountaineering and life as he spends his time
travelling to events as a Motivational Speaker.
“I am often asked if I feel like I have missed out on life
while chasing mountains. A lot of people think I am crazy but the call of the
mountains is hard to resist. My journey began when I accompanied my grandfather
on a short trek and we watched the sun go down from the top of one of peaks of the
Sahyadri hills. At that moment, I was struck by the emotions that accompanied
the sights from the top of the world and there was no turning back. I do know
that I haven’t watched as many movies as people my age or have had enough free
time to spend with friends or family but I feel fulfilled. I do not miss
anything except maybe normal food when on a climb.”
The young mountaineer also has a few laments. “My main
concern is that mountaineering as a field has not gained the recognition it
deserves in India. In other countries, mountaineers are better recognized and
rewarded than in our country. So I am still working to create awareness. Awards
are not the sole concern but it feels good to be acknowledged and it does help
in generating interest and funding. So many young people are now getting
interested in mountaineering but with their own means. It will be wonderful to
gain more attention to the field of mountaineering as a sport. It is sports
tourism as well.”
In spite of the low moments and all that needs to be worked
out to promote the sport, Arjun Vajpai takes it one day at a time. The young
man who could have been a footballer if he had not made a trek with his
grandfather, continues to work hard at realizing his lofty dreams. “Meeting my
hero Messner was a surreal moment and it was an even better moment as he recognized
me. I feel stoked to be able to inspire
the same of other youngsters. I would go through all the pains, to feel on top
of the world. Again and again and again.”
No comments:
Post a Comment