Pune: Ishani Sawant, a young rock climber and mountaineer from Pune represented India at International Youth Summit organised by UIAA - International Union of Alpine Clubs (Apex International Rock Climbing and Mountaineering Federation) in Toulouse, France last month.
Only 15 young climbers from all over the world were selected by French Alpine Club for a week of multi-pitch climbing in Pyrenees Mountain Range of France from July 8 to 13.
Ishani shared her experience, “We were given indoor climbing training session at Toulouse and one day taken for canyoning. I got to climb one of the best climbing crags in South France and a variety of high quality rock types, every day at a new location. I climbed many multi-pitch routes ranging from steep gneiss in Genat to the airy limestone cliff at Le Quiè de Sinsat Mountain (853 ft) and Dent Dorly (1,400 ft). Most noteworthy was seven pitch beautiful route at Pic Du Madeleine (875 ft) and soaring granite 12 pitch route of 1400 ft sheer rock climbing at Dent d’Orlu Mountain which is 7,777 ft high.”
Ishani’s mother works as a government servant while her father has retired from Tata Motors. In 2004, she went to Himalayas to explore India and discovered her passion there. She is a law graduate and wanted to pursue a career in civil services but instead decided to follow her passion. “I do not want to be rich. I want to be happy,” Ishani said.
For more than 16 years she is into volunteering and for eight years she is into the adventure training profession for cadets of National Defence Academy in climbing and also into corporate and school training. She has created several records including Smiti Valley in Himachal Pardhesh (6,000 metres) solo record winner last year and climbing Stok Kangri (6,000 metres) mountain at Ladakh in two days which generally takes four days. She conducts adventure events for visually impaired and people with disabilities with Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation.
For her funds are a major issue. She said, “I had to borrow from my friends as the courses and the France trip were costly.”
At 26, Ishani has undergone several national and international training and has valid mountaineering and first aid certification from National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in USA and Mountain Training, UK to safely conduct these activities.
