Why we need a pandemic to focus on mental health, asks Shama

The pandemic could only delay, not dissuade Tashi Yangjom. The 27-year-old saw five years of practice bear fruit as she scaled Mt Everest, becoming the first Indian woman to scale the peak in 2021. She scaled the famed peak by 6am on May 11, completing the mission she had started on April 4.

And accolades poured in for the climber from Lubrang village of West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh. Among those who congratulated her were Union sports minister Kiren Rijiju, who tweeted: “I extend my heartiest congratulations to Ms Tashi Yangjom from Arunachal Pradesh for scaling Mt. Everest & becoming the first Indian woman climber to Everest in 2021…”

Ever since Yangjom joined the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) in 2016, where she’s now an instructor, she aspired to climb the peak. The target, set for last year, was delayed by the pandemic. “Main bohot khush hun. I always wanted to wave the Indian flag at the top and I’m very thankful for the support and financial aid I received,” says Yangjom, now stuck in Kathmandu where she reached after her climb, due to pandemic,” she says.

Sikander, 39, feels every person must ensure that people around them are doing fine during these testing times. “You just get busy with worldly things and think that you’re fine. But you’re not. You need to heal. People are suffering from within. I wonder when we are going to realise that mental health is the most important thing, and not just during the tough times,” she adds.

As for herself, the actor is using this time to heal and meditate to keep dark thoughts at bay, something that she recommends others to do as well. “I’m a very spiritual person and I’ve been meditating more and more over the past year. It has made me more accepting of this situation. The catastrophe has happened for us to realise how fragile life is and how we need to stop and understand the value of life and what it is offering us,” she concludes. travel restrictions. “I wanted to set an example and inspire young ones,” she shares.

Yangjom, from the Brokpa, a yak herding tribe, credits her childhood hill treks and persistence of trainers at NIMAS for her feat. Now aiming to create more records, she feels Nepal’s recent appeal to Everest climbers to bring empty oxygen tanks from the peak can be followed depending on the sherpa’s assistance. “Us height pe ek water bottle uthani ki energy bhi nahi bachti hai. Par shayad dono mil ke kar sakte hai,” she adds.