Despite roots in one of India’s most conservative rural Haryana state notorious for its skewed sex ratio in favour of boys, Nungshi and Tashi Malik, by 23 years old had achieved several global gender iconic milestones.
They are the world’s first siblings and twins as well as youngest persons and the first South Asians to complete the ‘Adventurers Grand Slam’ (scaling highest peaks in all continents including Everest, and skiing to North and South Poles). Guinness World Records has already featured them for several of these including ‘first female twins to scale Everest, first twins and siblings to scale the Seven Summits and youngest person to complete Explorers Grand Slam’.
Popularly known as ‘Everest twins’, Nungshi and Tashi dedicated their adventure mission to Indian girl child with the motto ‘Gender Equality Now: Fight Female Feticide’. They use their climbing as metaphor for the ‘invisible’ mountains of gender discrimination, exclusion and denial of basic rights that millions of girls in India have to climb daily.
Last year they started ‘NungshiTashi Foundation’ with the twin objectives of promoting Outdoors Leadership and girl empowerment through Outdoors.
World Records
•First female twins to scale Mt Everest (Climbed at 21 years of age)
•First siblings & twins to climb ‘Seven Summits’ (highest peaks in all continents)
•First siblings & twins to complete Adventurers Grand Slam & the Three Pole Challenge
•Youngest persons ever to complete Adventurers Grand Slam & the Three Pole Challenge
•First twins to reach South Pole on Skis (last degree)
•First twins to reach North Pole on Skis, (last degree)
National/Regional Records
•First South Asians to complete Adventurers Grand Slam & the Three Pole Challenge
•Youngest and Fastest South Asians to complete Adventurers Grand Slam & the Three Pole Challenge (two years and a month)
•Youngest South Asians to scale the ‘Seven Summits’
•First Indian women to climb all ‘Seven Summits’ in first attempt (overall 2nd Indian women and third Indians)
•Youngest and fastest South Asians to reach North & South Pole on Skis (completed in less than 4 months)
Show notes
Where they are based at the moment Where they were brought up Travelling a lot when they were younger, Growing up as girls in India Being trend setters and where it came from How their mum helped to support them with their goals Their 3rd sister Dealing with fears and what drove them Not understanding the desire to fit in within the group Why they wanted to be the best version of themselves Where the love for the outdoors came from Developing leadership attributes and self awareness through mountaineering When mountaineering turned into a passion Planning and climbing their first 19,000 ft mountain Who first mentioned Everest and why it was a calling from the mountain How they made their dream a reality Why to achieve your goals it comes down to commitment The struggles to achieve their goal over 4.5 years Getting the go ahead from their mum! Being labelled as fragile! The challenges and struggles they faced to achieve their Everest dream Funding the challenge How they trained to get in the best physical condition possible before the challenge The historic moment on the summit The journey back to basecamp Deciding to do the 7 summits! Getting home and taking the time to celebrate Dealing with the adventure blues.. Losing friends in the mountains mission2for7 Completing the explorers grand slam at 23 years old What they’ve learned from doing these challenges Why exploration has become a spiritual journey Why they strike a steel plate on the summit of every mountain Nungshi and Tashi Foundation which aims to empower girls Heading to study in New Zealand Final words of advice to motivate and inspire you“With passion and commitment, miracles do happen”
Other Everest Episodes you can listen to on the Tough Girl Podcast
Cathy O’Dowd Masha Gordon Squash Falconer Jo Bradshaw Tori James
Social Media
Website - http://nungshitashi.org
Instagram @twinclimbers
Twitter - @NungshiTashi
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