Conquering Everest at 55: Entrepreneur Jyoti Ratre shares her gritty experience

livemint.com:

Jyoti Ratre conquered Mount Everest at 55 and became the oldest Indian woman to do so. Ratre’s journey to accomplish her childhood dream is a reminder to all the people who fear failure due to a ‘late start’.Jyoti Ratre conquered Mount Everest as part of a 15-member expedition team of 8K Expeditions, led by Bolivian climber David Hugo Ayaviri Quispe on May 19.Recalling how her childhood curiosity became a force behind her Mount Everest expedition, Jyoti Ratre shared a bleak memory of listening to a political leader’s speech on the radio, which left an indelible impact on her mind.“I had heard about a leader on the radio who expressed his wish to release his ashes in the Himalayas.

This made me wonder what is so special about Everest that people want to go there even after death," Ratre told Mint in an interview. However, she could not fulfil her dream when she was young due to marriage and her family and business responsibilities.At the age of 48, Ratre decided to relive her dream and began pursuing mountain climbing by taking a break from her entrepreneurial journey.

However, because of her age, Ratre faced many challenges.“After knowing that most mountaineering institutes do not train people above 42, I started collecting information online and met people who had conquered Everest. I began focusing on increasing my strength by exercising, running, and doing yoga at home," recalled Ratre.Jyoti Ratre's first big achievement came when she completed her expedition to Mount Elbrus in Europe in July 2021.

Within 39 days, Ratre added another feather to her cap by conquering Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 metres), on August 15, 2021. Later, she climbed South America’s highest peak, Mount Aconcagua, on