One Mountain A Time: The Extraordinary Story Of Deeya Bajaj

Deeya Bajaj, a Delhi resident, grew up amidst the majestic Himalayan foothills, where adventure enthralled her family. Undeterred by societal biases against girls in sports, this fearless clan defied norms, diving headfirst into thrilling escapades like rafting, hiking, and zip-lining. In a country where opportunities for girls are often constrained, they forged their own paths.

With an unyielding bond and unwavering support, Deeya Bajaj and her father, Ajeet Bajaj, etched their names in history. Together, they conquered the world's highest peak, Mount Everest.

First Asian father-daughter duo to climb all summits, the two also climbed Mt Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America, just over a year back. Breaking barriers, they became trailblazing pioneers, the first-ever Indian father-daughter duo to achieve this monumental feat. The Bajaj duo had their sights set on even grander conquests. They fearlessly scaled the peaks that touched the heavens, conquering all seven of the world's highest summits.

In a conversation with SheThePeople, Deeya Bajaj, a modern-day explorer, adventurer, and motivational speaker, she has shared her experiences on some of the most challenging expeditions on the planet. She discussed the importance of embracing adversity and making the most of difficult situations.

Deeya Bajaj Interview

While sharing insights into her journey of climbing the seven summits and how it has shaped her as an individual, Bajaj explained that there is a lot of training, both mentally and physically, that one undertakes before going on a journey like this. She said, "And it has been something that I've been training for. I joke about this and say I feel like I've been training for this my entire life because, growing up, adventure in the outdoors was a very big part of my childhood. And I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to see some of the most incredible parts of our planet."

According to Bajaj, the outdoors has played a profound role in shaping her character. She believes that venturing into nature provides valuable lessons about self-discovery and resilience. She emphasises that challenging outdoor experiences teach individuals how to endure difficult times and persist even when faced with the temptation to give up. In such situations, she asserts that pushing forward becomes the only viable option. Through these trials, she has learned about her own mental and physical capabilities, highlighting the transformative power of outdoor adventures.

She added, "And the second thing is that I love the community that comes from doing these things outside together. I feel like it has helped me create stronger bonds with my father, my sister, and my mother every time we go outside and do these adventure activities together. It's absolutely incredible. And, of course, the friends you make when you're outside on these expeditions are their friends for life. So it's been an incredible journey, an incredible experience, and it has definitely shaped me into who I am today."

Bajaj recently returned to India after completing her graduation from the Wharton University of Pennsylvania with a Master's in Business Administration.

When asked about her experiences of the United States of America as an adventure and outdoor destination, she expressed, "The US is one of my favourite destinations for outdoor adventure. I pursued both my undergraduate and master's degrees there and what I loved about it was the easy accessibility of everything. You could wake up one morning and decide to go on a hike, with nature and the outdoors readily accessible. Moreover, the variety is remarkable. In Denver, you have incredible skiing and hiking opportunities. During my time in upstate New York, there were rivers perfect for kayaking. In California, I even went rafting. The abundance and diversity of outdoor adventures are truly wonderful. Additionally, what stands out to me the most is how clean the outdoors are. It's evident that people take pride in maintaining the cleanliness of these spaces."

She added that the companies that organise this have an excellent level of quality in terms of guides, equipment, and safety procedures, and those are some things that truly keep bringing her back to the US as an adventure destination.

Bajaj also shared her initiatives to inspire and encourage others, particularly women, to pursue an outdoor adventure like hers. She said, "Sharing my experiences and my stories from being out there has always been a very big part of what I do. And I think oftentimes it's really great because it's just seeing someone do something that can spark an idea in your mind too. I think a lot of the time; people don't even think it's an option or something that they want to do. But when they hear a story or when they see something and they see the pictures or how beautiful it is, I think that in itself tends to be an inspiration, which makes people you know think about going outside."

I do speak to a lot of schools and colleges and try to really make that a point to speak to the younger girls and show them that, Hey, look, we girls can do anything, and we just need to, you know, go out there and give it a try.

Bajaj also shared her future goals and challenges. After conquering the seven summits and completing her MBA at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, she humorously referred to her academic achievement as her "8th summit." She revealed her plans to relocate to San Francisco and work there for a while. Despite these new endeavours, Bajaj expressed her unwavering passion for the outdoors and the vast realm of exploration that awaited her. She indicated that numerous expeditions and adventures remain on her radar, promising many more thrilling experiences to come.

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