BANDIPORA: The District Administration Bandipora on Saturday organised the ninth edition of its “Nun Chai Talks” series, featuring noted mountaineers Aditi Vaidya and Anuja Vaidya, who shared their experiences in mountaineering and adventure sports with local youth.
MLA Devyani Singh Rana also attended the programme.
During the interactive session, the Vaidya sisters recounted their ascent of Mount Everest on May 22, 2019, when they became the first sisters from Gujarat and the second pair of sisters in the world to scale the world’s highest peak.
They also spoke about summiting Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest mountain in South America, before their Everest expedition, and shared experiences from subsequent climbs across different continents.
Anuja Vaidya highlighted her ascents of Manirang in Himachal Pradesh, Mount Elbrus in Russia, Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia and Mount Vinson Massif in Antarctica, where she became the first Gujarati woman to reach the continent’s highest peak.
The sisters also discussed their successful summit of Mount Denali in Alaska in June 2024, becoming the first Gujarati sisters to climb North America’s highest peak.
Responding to questions from local athletes, aspiring mountaineers and adventure enthusiasts, the duo shared insights into training, preparation and opportunities available in mountaineering and related sports.
They stressed the importance of physical fitness, mental resilience and professional training, advising aspiring climbers to complete basic mountaineering courses before progressing to advanced expeditions. The sisters also spoke about the professional courses they completed at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, including Basic, Advanced, Method of Instruction and Search and Rescue programmes.
Besides mountaineering, they shared experiences in adventure activities such as water skiing, scuba diving and paragliding.
Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Indu Kanwal Chib said the initiative aimed to inspire young people through interaction with accomplished achievers and encourage participation in constructive activities, including adventure sports.
The session concluded with an interaction between the guests and participants on mountaineering, training opportunities and career prospects in adventure sports.
