Sisters on top of the world

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Being on top of the world, even imaginatively, gives an adrenaline rush to most of us. But there are also those who go the extra mile in achieving the feat, literally. For Dehradun sisters, Tashi and Nungshi Malik, the recent climb to Asia’s highest peak —the Mount Everest — was a tall order, but once on top, it made them world’s first twins to have done so.

The 22-year-olds, born only a few minutes apart, are no rookies when it comes to mountain climbing and acclimatising to harsh weather conditions. “Before scaling the Everest, we climbed the Kilimanjaro in Africa in February last year,” says Tashi.
“We were lucky to have favourable weather conditions at our starting point in Kathmandu and all the way up at 8,850 metres. At night, however, there were avalanches and snow storms that scared us,” she adds. The twins have added another feather to their cap by registering themselves in the Guinness Book of Records. “We have already given our names to them and are waiting for the official confirmation,” says Nungshi. The twins have already decided on their next climb — Mount Elbrus in Europe —as a part of their complete itinerary of the Seven Summits or the seven top peaks in the seven continents.