We climb because we are crazy, Malik twins say after return from ascent of North America's highest peak

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 11 Juli 2014 | 22.10

NEW DELHI: Just little over a year ago Tashi and Nungshi Malik would become the first twins to have scaled the perilous heights of Mount Everest. Between when they first scaled Everest and now, the 23-year-old twin sisters have climbed six of the Seven Summits as part of their "Mission2for7". Having just returned from an ascent of North America's highest peak, Mount McKinley, Tashi and Nungshi are now in India for a brief respite before their next excursion in Antarctica.

The twin sisters hail from Sonipat in Haryana, a state infamous for its exceptionally poor sex ratio and high numbers of female foeticide. For them 2009 was the year of a "dramatic turn of events" by the end of which they would become accomplished mountaineers. After having finished school their father sent them for a month-long course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarakhand.

"The mountains had cast a spell on us" says Nungshi as the sisters extended their stay at the institute and soon the initial whisperings of Everest could be heard. Despite the reluctance from their father and mother, Tashi and Nungshi would embark on their climb of Everest in April 2013 and admit, "there are few parents that would support their kids in what they want to do." The sisters, citing their father as their biggest influence, point to the fact that had he not been as liberal as he was they would never have reached the heights they did.

Their father Virender Singh Malik, a retired Army officer, took this opportunity to speak of the importance of "following your passions", recognising it as a mantra not well practiced in India. Malik gave an account of his own childhood and his experiences with patriarchy in Indian society. Born after three sisters he remembers the gratitude his parents felt when they had their first male born and throughout his life noticed the favouritism towards him. As the father of two daughters he chose not to let gender limit their opportunities in life.

From the very onset of their dabbling into mountaineering, the gender disparity was explicit. The twins were quick to recognise mountaineering as a "men's forte" and had decided to dedicate their climbs to shattering the rigid gender expectations held in Indian culture. A brochure handed out at the press conference reads, "We will together climb the highest peaks on the seven continents to promote mountaineering as a sport and to save and empower the girl child".

Mountaineering is not just a hobby but an act of altruism for the sisters. Even from their first climb of Everest they were making statements. Accompanied by fellow Pakistani mountaineer Samina Baig the trio placed their flags adjacent to one another on the Everest summit, sending a message of love and harmony between the two countries.

Ultimately in their climbs they hope to inspire "the girl child to dream big" says Nungshi. With six of the world's highest peaks scaled they have done just that.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Tashi and Nungshi Malik,Mount McKinley,Mount Everest


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