'Age is just a number': How a 43-year-old Indian mother scaled Europe's highest peak

For 43-year-old Shivani Mehrotra, raising her 18-year-old daughter, managing family responsibilities, and pursuing mountaineering have gone hand in hand as she continues to push her limits on some of the world’s highest peaks.

A native of Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur district and married in Lucknow at 24, Mehrotra, now based in Mumbai with her family, celebrated Independence Day this year by unfurling the Tricolour atop Mount Elbrus in Russia, Europe's highest peak.

Speaking to PTI over the phone while returning to India from Russia, Mehrotra shared that her journey to the summit on August 15 was as much a test of mental strength as it was of physical endurance.

"I always believe that age is just a number," she said, stressing that determination and discipline matter more than age when pursuing an ambitious goal.

For Mehrotra, this journey involves balancing her aspirations with responsibilities as a wife and mother. She credits her parents, husband, daughter, and friends for encouraging her to pursue mountaineering.

Mehrotra noted that there are relatively few women trekkers and climbers, especially those over 40. "I rarely find women above 40 up on the mountains," she said.

"My family has always motivated me and given me the courage to do this," she remarked, adding that she tries to finance her expeditions largely through her own savings.

Her passion for the mountains began in 2019 when she planned a trek to Mount Everest Base Camp with her best friend. What started as a single trekking plan quickly turned into a passion, taking her to destinations in Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and several other parts of the Himalayas.

She later took on more demanding climbs, including Friendship Peak and Mount Kilimanjaro, and has completed four of the five major Kailash-related treks she has set for herself. Her long-term ambition, however, remains Mount Everest and completing the Seven Summits.

Mehrotra began her Mount Elbrus expedition from Mumbai on August 8, travelling via Dubai to Mineralnye Vody in Russia. The 10-day expedition was organised through a Russian company called Chatur Tours and included a buffer day because of unpredictable weather at the summit.

The climb was particularly demanding because of severe weather, snowfall, rain and the challenges of high altitude. The team undertook acclimatisation climbs before the final summit push, including climbs to around 3,000, 4,000 and 4,700 metres.

On the summit day, the team began the climb at around 2 am. Mehrotra described how the combination of darkness, cold, strong winds, heavy equipment, and low oxygen made the climb extremely challenging.

"Rukna nahin hai, chalte rehna hai" (You cannot stop, you have to keep walking) was the mantra she repeated to herself during the climb. She reached the summit in about four and a half hours.

At high altitude, she said, even simple tasks become difficult. Oxygen levels drop sharply beyond 5,000 metres, while the heavy snow gear and crampons make movement physically demanding.

The expedition also involved training in self-rescue techniques, including how to stop oneself while slipping on snow and respond during emergencies.

Mehrotra observed that the final stretch of a climb often becomes more about mental resilience than physical strength.

"Where I felt that I could not go any further on my earlier treks, I learnt that this is exactly where the beginning is," she said.

Upon reaching the summit, she knelt and expressed gratitude to the mountain, her friends, and her faith. "I bowed down to Mount Elbrus and said thank you," she recalled, referring to the mountain as a symbol of the larger dream she is pursuing.

An avid fitness enthusiast, Mehrotra is also an ultra-runner who has completed both full and half marathons, as well as a 50-kilometre run. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she turned to yoga and later trained as an advanced yoga practitioner and therapist. She has been teaching yoga for around six years, including specialised programmes for pre- and post-natal women and cancer patients.

She follows a strict fitness and diet regimen, waking up around 3.30 am to combine yoga, gym workouts, running, and trekking preparation.

For Mehrotra, mountaineering is not merely about reaching a specific altitude. "I don't believe that one peak is less or more important because of its elevation," she said, adding that every mountain offers a different experience and demands respect.

Her next targets include higher-altitude peaks in Nepal as she prepares for Everest. "Everest is my main goal. I have to do it," she asserted.

The cost of such expeditions remains a major challenge. An Everest expedition can cost around Rs 40-50 lakh, while other international climbs can also run into several lakhs of rupees.

Mehrotra stated that she has largely funded her climbs through savings from her yoga profession. "I want to do it on my own strength,” she said.

At 43, she insists she is nowhere near slowing down. "If you have decided in your mind that you want to achieve something, you can do it. You just have to remain focused on your target," she affirmed.