Scaling the peaks
AN ENTREPRENEUR WITH A DIFFERENCE, HEMANT SACHDEV’S PASSION FOR MOUNTAINEERING SAW HIM SUMMIT MOUNT EVEREST. HE IS NOW TRAVELLING THROUGH THE US GIVING TALKS ON LEADERSHIP AND LIFE
Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing. And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance. — KHALIL GIBRAN
To face fears, and soar above the ordinary is the holy grail of a mountaineer. Immense dedication, stillness within and life-defying passion saw mountaineer and entrepreneur Hemant Sachdev summit Mount Everest. With a team consisting of fellow climbers Bill Crouse, Adam Smith, Jon Gupta and Sherpa Padava, the team summitted Mount Everest on the early crisp, severely wind blown, -45 degree morning of May 19 in 2013. They reached, laboured in breath, weary in step, the top of the world. This is now a part of Everest Rising, a fivepart documentary series that shows Mount Everest’s history with the climb as the focal point. It is also the first HD footage of the mountain and will be shown on National Geographic on April 5. For the Delhi-born Modern School Barakhamba and Delhi University student, who went on to study business at Harvard University, and created a retail giant, Hemant’s life is about surpassing limitations, be it in business or on an unforgiving mountain track. Sachdev is also travelling through the US giving talks on leadership and life. An arduous, bone chilling and death-defying climb to the top of Sagarmatha at 8,850 mt filled Hemant with childlike wonder. Defeated limbs, anguished body and in stupor, Hemant walked the Hillary Step and trudged from
a point of no return along the same trail that Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay had walked on 60 years ago. “It was magical. I could see that the earth was truly curved, I looked around in awe,” says Hemant.
The intrepid mountaineer who had slipped into a bottomless crevasse, was rescued by his friend and able Sherpa Padava thanks to the rope between them. Giving up in mind and body, the constant need to surpass boundaries, overcome obstacles and summit is a heady potion for any climber. “I looked around taking it all in. Then, I placed a small Indian flag with a small statue of the Buddha as Mother Everest opened her arms to us,” he smiles.
Yet, this journey for the Harvard man whose company Chogori is among the top adventure gear companies today, started years ago. “I have been climbing since college. In 2000, I started my own outdoor gear company in my basement at home — my office was the ping pong table! Today, Chogori is the largest and most established outdoor gear company in the country. Running a business selling gear to adventurers and climbers, every year, I would have friends coming back with stories, about which route they took, what the experience was like, the fatalities and lives lost, which is a part of such climbs. In 2011, I saw someone die of cerebral edema. You carry such memories with you, I decided then that I was going to be more prepared when I went back in 2013. We were at base camp (17,000 feet) and spent nearly 45 days, going from different camps to base five to six times — the conditions were harsh at the base camp, but it ironically became a place of luxury — there is a summit window to climb Mount Everest, barely four days a year. So we started early to overcome the other (traffic) climbers,” says the entrepreneur who brings to light the lack of conservation efforts on the top of the world, the need to protect Sherpas, their families and to preserve Mount Everest. Chogori is named after his favourite Mountain — K2. He is also behind bringing Crocs and Columbia to India. His climbing journey has the Nanda Ghunti, Trishul and a few other mountains in the repertoire.
Seeing death at such uncomfortably close quarters has changed his perception and this learning is what Sachdev shares on his travels across the US, where he is giving speeches to youngsters on life. “Truly, the central purpose of life is to grow internally, and never give up. After summiting Mount Everest, I have a greater self-belief and feel I have so many strengths to counter new challenges. Every limit is tested — emotional, spiritual, physical, mental and you discover boundaries that can be overcome,” says the lover of philosophy and history.
With mountains climbed, human frailties overcome, companies spearheaded, Sachdev has created a microcosm of growth, and Harvard was the place where it all started, “A friend from Brazil was staying in my living room then. He was at one point homeless, and had stayed at a homeless shelter for a month. Yet, he went on to build a car mapping system that he sold very successfully. This was real learning, not just what the professors taught, but meeting people, different perspectives and getting inspired,” says the boyish entrepreneur.
Buddhism and Hinduisim texts keep him grounded, but when he is not travelling for work, he loves a good hike, family time and playing tennis. After sitting victorious on top of the world, this life is Hemant’s oyster — the harder the climb, the better the rewards and the learning.
After summiting Mount Everest, I have a greater selfbelief and feel I have so many strengths to counter new challenges. hemant sachdev mountaineer