Mumbai-based mountaineer Shivani Mehrotra, 43, scaled Mount Elbrus, Europe’s highest peak at 5,642 metres, in Russia on August 15, unfurling the Indian Tricolour at the summit on Independence Day.
Mehrotra began her final ascent at around 2 am and reached the summit in approximately four-and-a-half hours, navigating darkness, freezing temperatures, strong winds, heavy snow gear and low oxygen. The climb was part of a 10-day expedition that began from Mumbai on August 8 and included acclimatisation climbs at around 3,000, 4,000 and 4,700 metres before the final summit attempt.
Mehrotra described the climb as both physically and mentally demanding and credited her parents, husband, daughter and friends for supporting her journey. Her next ambitions include higher-altitude peaks in Nepal, Mount Everest and eventually the Seven Summits.
Independence Day At Altitude
For Mehrotra, the summit of Elbrus carried significance beyond the climb itself. Reaching 5,642 metres on August 15 meant she spent Independence Day at what is widely recognised as Europe’s highest point, where she unfurled the Indian flag.
The final ascent began around 2 am, when the team set out in darkness. As they gained altitude, the conditions became increasingly difficult, with cold, snowfall, strong winds and reduced oxygen adding to the physical strain. Mehrotra reached the summit after around four-and-a-half hours of climbing.
She later recalled repeatedly telling herself, “Rukna nahin hai, chalte rehna hai”, meaning she could not stop and had to keep moving. The phrase captures the mental discipline required during the final stages of a high-altitude climb, where fatigue and low oxygen can make every step increasingly difficult.
Preparation Behind The Summit
The successful summit was the result of a 10-day expedition rather than a single push up the mountain. Before attempting Elbrus, Mehrotra and her team carried out acclimatisation climbs to around 3,000, 4,000 and 4,700 metres. This allowed their bodies to gradually adjust to the thinner air before they attempted the summit.
The team also prepared for emergencies by training in self-rescue techniques, including how to stop themselves after slipping on snow. Given the unpredictable weather around the mountain, an additional day was kept in reserve in case conditions made the summit attempt unsafe.
The preparation was particularly important because the final climb involved heavy snow equipment and crampons, while the team had to contend with darkness, freezing temperatures and strong winds.
From Trekking To Mountaineering
Mehrotra’s path to Elbrus began in 2019, when she planned a trek to Everest Base Camp with a friend. That first experience developed into a sustained interest in mountaineering, taking her across Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.
She subsequently climbed Friendship Peak and Mount Kilimanjaro and completed four of the five major Kailash-related treks she had planned. Alongside mountaineering, Mehrotra is an ultra-runner and trained yoga practitioner, incorporating yoga, running, gym workouts and trekking into her preparation.
Her journey has also involved balancing these ambitions with family responsibilities. She is a mother to an 18-year-old daughter and has continued pursuing high-altitude climbs while managing responsibilities at home. She has said she rarely encounters women over 40 on high-altitude expeditions.
Ambition Beyond The Mountains
The Elbrus climb is not the end of Mehrotra’s plans. After completing the expedition and beginning her journey back to India, she turned her attention towards higher-altitude peaks in Nepal, with Mount Everest as her principal goal.
The financial demands of such expeditions are another part of the challenge. Mehrotra largely funds her climbs through savings from her work as a yoga professional, while an Everest expedition can cost around ₹40–50 lakh.
Beyond Everest, she hopes to complete the Seven Summits the highest mountains on each continent. For someone who began mountaineering at 36, the progression from a planned Everest Base Camp trek to Elbrus and now towards Everest reflects years of preparation rather than a sudden pursuit of adventure.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Shivani Mehrotra’s story is meaningful not simply because a 43-year-old woman climbed Europe’s highest peak, but because it shows how ambitions can develop alongside the responsibilities of everyday life. Her journey also brings attention to the preparation, financial commitment, physical conditioning and emotional support that remain largely invisible behind a photograph from a summit.
Her achievement should not be reduced to the idea that age is a barrier to overcome. Instead, it is a reminder that people can continue discovering new ambitions at different stages of life, provided they have the opportunity, support and determination to pursue them.
As Mehrotra looks towards Everest and the Seven Summits, what can we learn from people who choose to keep challenging themselves while navigating the responsibilities of ordinary life?
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