Tashi & Nungshi Malik : The Twin Mountaineers Who Defied Gravity and Society
Far from India’s luminous capital, Dehradun, nestled on the foothills of the Himalayas, lies between the Song River, a tributary of the Ganges to the east, and the Asan River, a tributary of the Yamuna to the west. It was here that the journey of Tashi and Nungshi Malik to the world’s highest peaks began.
One that would eventually reach the highest peaks of every continent. Tashi and Nungshi Malik, identical twins with identical dreams, have carved their names into mountaineering history by becoming the first siblings and twins to complete the prestigious Seven Summits challenge, climbing the highest peaks on each continent, including Mount Everest.
But their journey extends far beyond these remarkable achievements. The sisters have also joined the elite group of adventurers who have completed the Explorers Grand Slam and the Three Poles Challenge, reaching both the North and South Poles. Their story is not just about climbing mountains; it’s about scaling the peaks of societal expectations and gender barriers in a country where girls are often discouraged from pursuing adventure sports.
The Beginning of an Adventure
Growing up in a military family, Tashi and Nungshi’s adventurous spirit was nurtured from an early age. Their father, a passionate outdoorsman, played a important role in their journey into mountaineering though not in the way one might expect. Without their knowledge or consent, he enrolled them in a basic mountaineering course at one of India’s government mountaineering institutes in the Indian Himalayas.
“Initially, we felt ‘awe’ and a bit of ‘fear,'” the sisters recall. But their father’s wisdom proved profound: “Through exposure to physical danger and challenges, you would know much more of hitherto unknown parts of yourselves.” This, he insisted, was essential education.
His role as more of a ‘buddy ‘ than a typical father, combined with their natural twin bond, made it easier for them to embrace these new challenges and “tread less frequented trails” in life.
The sisters’ passion for mountaineering wasn’t immediate it grew organically through their experiences. During their basic mountaineering course in 2009, they discovered something transformative: the outdoor adventure, the group energy, the physical and mental challenges, and the sense of greater self-discovery. It was a stark contrast to the typical classroom learning and routine physical activities of their school and college life.
Being among the few women in these male-dominated courses where the average ratio of girls to boys was 20:80 only fueled their determination. They consistently achieved the highest possible ‘A’ grade in all courses and earned the prestigious ‘fit to be instructor’ grade in the ‘Methods of Instruction’ course an achievement shared by only three participants out of thirty, including themselves and one man.
The Dream of Everest
The seed of their Everest ambition was planted early, though somewhat inadvertently. Their instructors, impressed by their grit and motivation, would often comment, “you two should climb Mt Everest,” jokingly calling them “the twin Everesters.” What began as playful nicknames soon transformed into a burning ambition.
However, the path to Everest wasn’t without its obstacles, particularly from their own family. While their father supported their dreams with additional training and preparation, their mother was initially devastated by their decision. For two years, even mentioning Everest in her presence was strictly taboo. Yet the sisters remained quietly confident that they would eventually prevail, “at whatever cost.”
Breaking Barriers in a Male-Dominated World
The challenges they faced weren’t just physical—they were societal. “Many people were shocked,” Nungshi recalls, “and their so-called ‘sound advice’ was laced with sarcasm, aimed more at instilling fear than confidence in our dreams. The sisters faced a barrage of discouraging comments.
Do you realize you’re a girl? What if you lose a limb? This is an activity for soldiers, police, and villagers.
Some even questioned their marriage prospects:
You won’t find a good, educated groom with this background. How will you earn a living from such a foolish passion? Your parents must be reckless to allow this
Tashi elaborates on the unique challenges women face in mountaineering: For a girl, especially in societies like ours, pursuing such a journey comes with unique challenges at multiple levels. Society views mountaineering and outdoor adventure as ‘boys’ activities,’ and girls venturing into this space are often met with disdain.
Breaking Barriers
The depth of Tashi and Nungshi’s experiences and wisdom comes alive through their own powerful words. On the nature of mountaineering and gender, Nungshi offers a compelling perspective
Serious mountaineering is as much about mental toughness as it is about physical strength. It’s not about pitting a woman against a man in a physical contest; it’s about Determination and perseverance in the face of extreme odds. In high-altitude mountaineering, there’s a thin line between life and death.
Tashi challenges prevailing gender stereotypes in the sport:
It’s true that historically, men have dominated this sport, and most ‘first ascents’ bear their names. However, this is a product of systemic gender discrimination through the ages.
She goes on to make a surprising observation about women’s natural advantages in the sport: Women are mentally and emotionally incredibly strong and are biologically better suited to survive extreme cold. In fact, in many of our expeditions, we’ve outperformed most male climbers in our teams.
On the practical challenges of being women in mountaineering, they speak candidly. Tashi shares a particularly poignant moment: Traveling alone to remote mountains and spending weeks in the company of men, often sharing limited spaces in tents, poses its own set of risks and dangers. Then there are the medical challenges, like dealing with periods ,
Tashi faced one of their worst fears her period started the evening before the summit push. “With mounting cramps and absolutely no way to change sanitary pads, I had to persevere through 21 grueling hours to reach the summit and return to Camp 2 at 23,000 feet,” she recalls. These honest admissions help demystify the realities of women in extreme sports while highlighting their remarkable grit.
To young dreamers, especially girls facing societal barriers, they offer words of encouragement born from experience: The world needs women in every field, and the more we show up, the more we create space for others to follow. Your dreams are valid, and your voice is powerful. You are capable of achieving anything you set your mind to—and when you do, you’ll inspire countless others to follow their own dreams.
The Twin Advantage
Their journey has been marked by moments of profound connection and silent understanding. During particularly challenging climbs, their twin bond became their greatest strength. As they describe it: “We didn’t need to speak much; we could just feel each other’s presence and energy. We knew exactly what the other was going through.”
Their identical twin bond has proven to be their secret weapon on the mountains. During their Everest summit attempt, this connection became particularly evident. There was one point, just a few hours from the summit, when exhaustion set in, they recall. “Our bodies were crying out, and the mental strain was overwhelming.” In these moments, their twin bond kicked in they didn’t need words to communicate, just the silent reassurance of each other’s presence.
This unique connection has led to some lighter moments too. During expeditions, their identical appearance has caused confusion among fellow climbers and Sherpas. “Sometimes, it’s even happened when we’re both in full gear with our faces covered by goggles and masks,” they laugh, recounting a moment when a Sherpa accused them of swapping places during a climb.
Beyond the Summit
Today, Tashi and Nungshi have transformed their mountaineering achievements into a platform for advocacy. They’ve become strong voices for gender equality and environmental conservation, using their experiences to inspire young women to dream big and challenge societal expectations.
Their message to young girls dreaming of pursuing traditionally male-dominated fields is powerful: “Don’t let anyone define your limits. Society may try to tell you what you can and can’t do, but your potential is limitless.” They Make clear that true empowerment comes from Taking on one’s unique path and following one’s passion, regardless of societal expectations.
Looking Forward
The sisters continue to break new ground in adventure sports while advocating for greater inclusion and accessibility. They believe that to encourage more young people, especially girls, in India to take up mountaineering and extreme sports, several key factors need to be addressed: increased awareness and accessibility, shifting societal mindsets, and building strong support systems.
Their father’s early wisdom continues to relate in their achievements: Through exposure to physical danger and challenges, you would know much more of hitherto unknown part of yourselves. This philosophy has shaped not just their approach to mountaineering but their entire worldview.
Their journey from Dehradun to the world’s highest peaks serves as a Symbol to the power of determination, sisterhood, and the courage to defy expectations. Through their achievements, Tashi and Nungshi Malik have not only written their names in mountaineering history but have also blazed a trail for future generations of women adventurers.
As they continue their advocacy work and adventures, the sisters remain committed to their core message: that with determination, support, and courage, any summit whether literal or metaphorical can be conquered. Their story serves as an inspiration not just for aspiring mountaineers, but for anyone daring to dream beyond the boundaries society sets for them.
Their advice to aspiring mountaineers is both practical and inspiring
The journey to the top starts with a single step, and it doesn’t matter where you start what matters is that you begin. Mountaineering, like any adventure, is a long path, but it’s not just about reaching the summit it’s about the growth, strength, and Inner strength you build along the way.
The journey of Tashi and Nungshi Malik is more than a tale of mountaineering success it’s a story of breaking barriers, challenging norms, and proving that the human spirit, especially when multiplied by two, knows no bounds. As they look to the future, these twin pioneers continue to inspire and empower, one peak at a time.
