On Top Of The World

Tina Thakrar converses with Sandeep Mansukhani, the brave heart who scaled MT. Everest to reach its peak in may this year.

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Sandeep Mansukhani tells me about his groundbreaking achievement over a phone call from Shimla. It’s been only about 10 days since he achieved the impossible, and his excitement is palpable, even through the crackling mobile network that goes in and out. I’m hanging on to his every word, while he sits on the grounds of his alma mater, Bishop Cotton School, where he was felicitated as the man who reached the summit of the world’s highest peak on May 21, 2018.

The Context

For as long as he can remember, Sandeep wanted to become a pilot. As a young boy, he was in awe of the uniforms, the admirable personalities, and of course, the job of soaring the skies. He grew up in New Delhi with his sister and father, having lost his mother at a tender age. He followed his dream and went on to receive his aviation training in the US right after his schooling, and has now been in the profession for 18 years.

As a senior pilot with Jet Airways, Delhi-based Sandeep flew over the magnificent mountain many times, and often thought to himself, ‘Wouldn’t it be the experience of a lifetime if I could see that black pyramid up close? What would it be like to reach the top of the world?’

The question was answered a few years after he began training for this goal. Many years before that though, the young Sandeep was very much an athlete and loved being outdoors. As he grew, this passion also grew stronger, and he began engaging in extreme motorsports, treks and mountaineering. Marathons, swimming, cycling and cross training were part of his routine, and this only helped him ease into the ‘Everest Lifestyle.’