In love with the mountains: Vamini Sethi

A corporate employee Vamini Sethi, who is addicted to mountains is now on her way to conquer seven summits. The 33-year-old from New Delhi thought that the best way to climb mountains is to cycle or go biking through the tough terrain. And, when she is not riding, she is trekking…

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Tell us about your passion for cycling?
I always loved riding as a kid. However, serious riding started after winning a mountain biking race in 2011. I remember enrolling myself for the race just for fun and was more than surprised when I got the podium in ‘Women Expert’ category.

Since then, there was no looking back. I started training hard and participating in various races. I got back to back podium in MTB Shimla and also participated in MTB Himalaya, known as the third toughest mountain biking race in the world

In 2014, we rode from Manali to Leh covering 650 km as part of Times Passion Trails. Cycling became a part of me so much that even during my wedding day, I made an entry on a bicycle along with my group.

How did entry in Limca Book of Records happen?

It was going to be my 30th birthday and I wanted to make it special. Since cycling was my first love, I decided to do something around it.

I wrote to Limca Book Of Records proposing to make a new record. I rode across Sri Lanka covering 1111 km in 9 days making it a national record in cycling for the longest distance in a foreign country by a woman. The record was confirmed just two days before my birthday. My husband surprised me with a Birthday cake that said, " Record Breaking Birthday”.

What was it to trek through one of the world’s harshest terrains, Siachen?
Indian army takes civilians to Siachen Glacier, also known as the highest battlefield in the world, once in a year. Their objective is to make us aware of the inhospitable terrain and weather conditions in which our brave soldiers serve the nation.

I was trying to apply for Siachen Glacier civilian trek for years, and I finally got lucky in 2016 when my application got selected out of 2300 applications received nationally. I trained very hard to ensure Iam able to last the climb. The trek to Siachen Glacier was a month-long expedition that tested me physically, emotionally and mentally. This was once in a lifetime experience and I am happy that I got a chance to be there and experience a world that one can't even dream of.

What has been your highest climb so far?
While I have already done Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mt Elbrus in Russia, my highest climb so far is Mt Mera in Nepal with 6547 mts. The next climb is planned for December. It is Acancagua in Argentina which is higher than Mt Mera.

Tell us about the beginning of your tryst with mountains?
My husband and I moved to Mumbai in 2015 with a new job. While Mumbai as a city has a lot to offer, it couldn’t give me wide roads to ride and that's when riding started taking a back seat. As they say, every setback in life gives you the opportunity to grow, you just have to be open to the change.

Desperate to find something outdoors, I ended up discovering the world of Western Ghats also known as Sahyadris. The trails are so beautiful and approachable that it almost became my weekend getaway for hikes. I started taking interest in trekking and unknowingly it was the beginning of my journey towards Mountaineering.

In 2017, I picked up a professional course in mountaineering from NIM Uttarkashi. A month-long course made me a certified mountaineer and I decided to set new goals for myself. Seven Summits - to climb 7 highest mountains in the 7 Continents of the world. I also take this as an opportunity to inspire other women and break the stereotypes that make women seem Women.