As I was approaching a milestone birthday, I wanted to do something outside of work that was just as intense as my work. I was then the Managing Director, Facebook India and South Asia. I was not a hiker. I was not a runner. I didn’t even know how to swim. So I decided that I had only one choice – to trek the Mt. Everest Base Camp (EBC, 17,598).
I had friends in my community in Hyderabad, India, who had done the trek recently. The idea likely stemmed from them! After all, one cannot be what one cannot see. Monica Suri and Mamtha Banerjee were generous with their tips and insights, and with loaning a ton of gear. Paul Borrud, then the Head of Facebook Australia, visited India for the first Facebook India Day. Prashant Mehta, then the CEO of Komli, also visited. Paul was sharing stories about his EBC trek. Prashant shared that it was on his bucket list. Viola, between the two of us, we had a core group to start our adventure.
We started our training – I worked my way up to running a 5K; our search for the right guide – thanks again to Monica and Mamtha; our packing – and yes, I had way more toilet paper than I needed. We were soon on our way.
It was a thirteen day trek that resulted in memories of a lifetime. The Tibetan name for Mt. Everest is Chomolungma, "Goddess Mother of the World." The Sanskrit name for Mount Everest is Sagarmatha, "Godess of the Sky." I will never forget seeing Mt. Everest peak with my naked eyes. I will never forget the people I met. All differences faded. We were united by our love for mountains.
When I came back from my trek, my then 9-year old daughter saw the pictures and said she wanted to go. I told her that I would take her when she was older. After my 7+ year stint with Faceboook India and Facebook HQ, I took a 3-month “all life, no work” break — something I fully recommend for execs after intense, long stints!
I asked my daughter if she still wanted to go to the EBC. It was game on again for the second time! We had a core team of four this time – me, my daughter, and two dear friends Ritu Mishra and Arunima Sharma. Our theme song was “Everything is awesome. When you are part of a team.”
While this may sound strange, the mountains have a way of becoming friends. You develop a relationship with them. The warmth, the embrace of the mountains is a blessing. I am grateful for the mountains. The Mt. Everest Base Camp trek is usually a once-in-a-lifetime event. I am so grateful I was able to do it, not once, but twice!
