Mumbai: 8-year-old conquers Everest base camp

Myra Ramavat, an eight-year-old from Mira Road, became one of the youngest children from Mumbai to summit the Mount Everest Base Camp (EBC) at 11 am on October 22. Myra undertook the physically demanding trek with her father Krutish, a sales manager, and mother, Aneeta, a homemaker.

The family flew to Kathmandu, Nepal, and then travelled to Ramechhap town by road. Then they flew in a small 10-seater plane to Lukla, the starting point of the 135-km trek, undertaken over 12 days. Guided by Ang Tsering Sherpa, the family traversed a challenging terrain in extreme weather conditions. The trek tested their physical and mental strength. Myra told mid-day, "The trek was tough, but it was very beautiful. There were snow-capped mountains everywhere. I made new friends along the way. Some friendly dogs walked with me from one village to another."

Ang Tsering Sherpa, Myra and her parents' guide

Remembering some difficult parts of the trek, Aneeta said, "Myra did have a couple of breakdowns. She cried a lot as it was more demanding and challenging than we thought it would be." A day before reaching the base camp, Myra fell sick when they were in the village of Gorekshep. "She had a high fever that night and kept vomiting. The high altitude and low oxygen levels made it difficult for her to breathe. She reminded herself of the promises she made to her grandparents and friends and pushed herself to continue the journey," Aneeta said.

"Everyone we met was surprised to see me on the trek. They would congratulate me, wish me good luck and take pictures with me. I had promised my friends and grandparents that I would reach the base camp and I did it! I can't wait to go on more treks, like Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Fuji," Myra said.

Frugal facilities

Myra and her parents hiked seven to nine hours daily, starting their day around 7 am. They spent their nights in wooden box rooms known as teahouses, which had minimal basic facilities. They survived on a simple diet of daal, rice and aloo sabzi.

"Many people give up halfway through the EBC trek. In terms of difficulty for non-regular trekkers, I rate the trek 7 on a scale of 1-10. Altitude sickness is common and Myra faced it too. While children from Western countries do undertake the trek, Indian kids are uncommon. Myra was determined to complete the trek. She did cry during difficult portions but she never asked her parents to carry her," said Ang Tsering.

Early training

Guided by her parents, Myra began preparing for the trek around five months in advance. "We ensured top-notch preparation for Myra's extraordinary dream. My parents were initially apprehensive about the trek. If we constantly dwell on fear, it hinders children from undertaking remarkable feats. Every endeavour carries risks, but they should not deter us from pursuing our goals. Myra's training included swimming, dance class, and yoga daily. After I returned from work, she and I would run 4-5 km. Myra managed her training well, even during school exams. Aneeta ensured that Myra ate well and prepared her mentally," said Krutish. In her message to other children, Myra said, "Never give up and do whatever it takes to reach your goal. If I can do it, you can do it too!"