Standing on the edge of a cliff, breathing in the crisp air and watching the world unfold below — there’s a unique power in trekking that teaches life’s deepest lessons.
During a recent event at Kolkata’s Gyan Manch, The Himalayan, a non-profit organisation, honoured a remarkable group of 11 women from the Fit@50+ Women’s Trans Himalayan Expedition. Organised by the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under the Fit India Movement and supported by the Indian Army, the team successfully completed a five-month-long journey across the Himalayas in 2022. They crossed 37 high passes and covered a total distance of 4,977 km.
Known as Fit@50+, the team was led by legendary mountaineer and Padma Bhushan awardee Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to summit Mount Everest in 1984. The women, aged between 54 and 68, came from diverse walks of life — retired professionals, army veterans, homemakers, former locomotive drivers, grandmothers and working women.
Bachendri Pal and her Fit@50+ club
At a pit stop on the way Shamala Padmanabhan
After retiring, Pal launched Fit@50+ to empower women over 50 and show that age and gender are no barriers to fitness or adventure. Inspired by the Fit India Movement started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she envisioned a platform for experienced yet often overlooked women to push boundaries and redefine possibility.
“For five months, we faced physical, mental, and emotional challenges — and if women of our age can achieve this, it proves that anyone can do anything,” she told My Kolkata.
“The biggest challenge was our age and lack of recent practice — some had gaps of 20-25 years. But with a mix of experience levels, we motivated each other, proving that teamwork and a shared goal can overcome any obstacle,” Pal added.
The 11-member team consisted of three women Everest summiteers, including Bachendri Pal (67, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand), the leader of the expedition, along with Chetna Sahoo (54, Kolkata, West Bengal), Savita Dhapwal (52, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh), Gangorti Soneji (62, Baroda, Gujarat), L Annapurna (53, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand), Payo Murmu (53, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand), Dr. Sushma Bissa (55, Bikaner, Rajasthan), Major Krishna Dubey (59, Lucknow, UP), Bimla Deoskar (55, Nagpur, Maharashtra), Vasumathi Srinivasan (68, Bangalore, Karnataka), and Shamala Padmanabhan (64, Mysuru, Karnataka).
Bachendri Pal with the President Droupadi Murmu along with her Fit@50+ members Courtesy: Tata Steel Adventure Foundation
Shamala Padmanabhan, a journalist and corporate communications professional, who retired from Tata Consultancy Services in 2019, was present at the Kolkata event to give a brief glimpse of their expedition.
Padmanabhan was also a member of the 1991 All-Women Pre-Everest Expedition led by Bachendri Pal. Reflecting on her time with Pal during the treks, she shared, “Bachendri Pal is a leader par excellence. Her decision making ability and a focussed goal is remarkable. I feel she has the great ability to ensure every member of the team completes the task. She walks the talk. It is thanks to her that I could complete my Fit@50+Trans Himalayan Expedition.”
Chetna Sahoo, an Everest summiteer, was also present at the Kolkata event.
“I began mountaineering at 50, following a dream I had since I was 15. For me, the mountains are like a fuel station, providing the energy I need to keep moving forward. My journey is my life now.” Sahoo said, sharing her experience.
“Mountaineering has taught me that with determination, you can achieve anything, no matter the obstacles,” she added.
The trek and its challenges
At the finishing point in Kargil Courtesy: Tata Steel Adventure Foundation
During the trek, the team faced numerous challenges — from finding proper restrooms to locating the next lodging station. Along the way, they endured everything from leech bites and severe allergies to spending nights at cemeteries and battling unpredictable weather conditions. Despite these difficulties, their unwavering determination to not give up, kept their spirits high.
My Kolkata also spoke to Vasumathi Srinivasan, the oldest member of the team.
When asked what motivates her to go on expeditions at the age of 72, she said, “This is my temple. Coming to the Himalayas is like visiting my temple. Religiously, I make it a point to visit every year.”
The trek began on March 8, 2022, at Pangsu Pass on the Indo-Myanmar border, coinciding with International Women’s Day, and concluded in Kargil on July 24, Kargil Vijay Diwas. The expedition celebrated India’s 75 years of Indian Independence and was dedicated to the central government’s ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ initiative.
The mountains didn’t just test their endurance — they revealed their strength. The Fit@50+ team’s journey reminds us that adventure, like life, has no age limit, only the courage to keep going.