The actual tease

Together with a group of eighteen, 11-year-old Gauri Singh from Gurugram accomplished a great achievement last year when she ascended to the Everest Base Camp (EBC) at a height of 17,598 feet above sea level. Her father, Manmohan Singh, 51, an assistant engineer by trade and the founder of Gurgaon Walkers, an organization that frequently arranges quarterly and annual treks in India and abroad, as well as nature walks, trekking, and climbing on Sundays in the Aravallis, provided her with training.

Singh has taught a group of fifteen people from Delhi-NCR this year—four of them are teenagers—who are ascending to the EBC. Tveesha Gupta and Sunya Arora are sixteen, while Suryom Arora and Utkarsh Sharma are both fourteen. When Gauri went last year, they all felt, “If she can do it, being younger than them, why can’t they?” Singh exclaims as TMS joins him early in the morning for a trip across the Aravallis in the Gurugram-Sohna area.

Our walk begins when the rocky outcrops of the Aravallis begin and the urban environment of Gurugram stops. While the EBC members are traveling to Kathmandu, Singh arranges their schedule over the phone. Their next destination is central Nepal’s Ramechhap, from whence they will fly for thirty minutes to Lukla, the starting point of the Everest trip, which is a tiny hilly town in northeastern Nepal. But the EBC participants are trapped because of the bad weather. “If it is not possible to take the airplane to Lukla, go by road. After ascending to the EBC in 2019, Singh informs the participants, “It may take two days to reach Lukla, but the journey must continue.” He does this while making quick judgments that demonstrate his crisis-management readiness.

Gurgaon Walkers is organizing the Bhondsi trek in 2023.
The drill

To what extent are the participants ready? “The training involves strengthening the muscles via hard climbing, ramp walking, and daily ascents and descents of around 1,500 steps. Practices like yoga guarantee that individuals won’t have trouble breathing at high altitudes. Three to four liters of fluids each day, such as soups, juices, coffee, etc., are advised, according to Singh.

Every day, the 15 EBC competitors must go 10 kilometers in temperatures ranging from -10 to -15 degrees Celsius. “A child aged 10 to 15 has to be educated to withstand the environment and maintain their strong will. I make sure that children interact with other participants and counsel parents against spoiling their children before a vacation. We also get them ready for climate acclimatization. As we pass the few patches of dry deciduous trees to see the fleeting beauty of a sunrise atop a cliff, he says, “But to make the journey fun, I tell the kids they can have even pizza and pasta there, which will be made available at restaurants at various stopovers; they should feel rewarded after their hard work.”

Manmohan Singh, for an active lifestyle, on a solo journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in 2023

With only 20 members when Singh founded Gurgaon Walkers in 2013, the group currently boasts over 6,000 active members who are all motivated to lead healthy lifestyles. The majority of the participants at first were corporate employees or those in the IT industry. But he gave the ladies and young people encouragement by designating them as walk leaders on many pathways. These days, social media and virtual games are increasingly popular among young people. I want children to believe that the true luxury is good health. These days, women balance work and personal responsibilities. In order to give them at least one day to themselves, I keep the walks on Sundays,” he explains.

Singh shows us a leopard’s tracks as we return to the grasslands. Shortly thereafter, two porcupine quills resembled blades. If he travels into deep woods during full moons, does it mean he isn’t afraid of being attacked by wild animals? “There’s only one life; you can either be scared or live it to the fullest,” he enthusiastically responds. To ensure they don’t get lost, we always recommend going with a knowledgeable group. Generally speaking, wild animals avoid areas where people are present.

An extensive itinerary

This year, Singh has many hikes scheduled, including trips to Churdhar, Kedarnath, and Gangotri. Last year, he rode a bicycle from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, covering 4,000 kilometers in only 20 days. This year, he intends to do the same. He intends to lead a party to Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano in South Africa, early in the following year.

Why does he persevere so tenaciously? He offers a story. He stopped in Adilabad, Telangana, on his bicycle trip from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. “We bonded over the Delhi-NCR connection when I met this truck driver from Faridabad,” he continues. He was shocked to learn that I was just doing the trip for my health when he asked me why. He extended his hand to give me a smoke. I told him I couldn’t “afford” it, and he couldn’t understand how a well-paid government employee could say that. “I can’t afford to ruin my health,” I stated. I also informed him that, considering his monthly salary, the costs associated with his smoking habit eliminate half of his earnings and have a negative impact on his health. Taken aback by the realization, he discarded the cigarette. I’m not sure whether he will start smoking again, but right then and there I felt like my quest had reached its goal.