There’s a common saying that states, life begins at the end of your comfort zone. The moment you take up something adventurous, the urge of heading to a place where you have never gone before increases. And once you fulfil the desire, you feel like you have lived life a bit more and the feeling was just the same for Ajeet and Deeya Bajaj when the father-daughter duo summited the Mount Everest together last year. Difficulties did come in their way due to extreme weather changes but, they kept moving forward with a strong will.

Both Ajeet and Deeya went through an intense training session before the climb as they did four practice expeditions and spent hours at the gym.

There was a point where Ajeet’s oxygen mask stopped working as he told NDTV: “We continued climbing, and to our shock, my oxygen mask malfunctioned, it froze, just an hour and a half below the summit. I couldn't breathe. I was pushing myself hard. Deeya couldn't have waited for me, she was climbing well and it made no sense to make her wait.” Ajeet further added, he came across a spare oxygen mask and continued climbing, he did his best to climb fast in order to catch up with Deeya.

Deeya is a black belt holder in Taekwondo and she has been inclined towards nature since her childhood. She is also the first Indian female to cross the Greenland Ice Cap. Talking about Ajeet, he is the first Indian to ski to the North as well the South pole which he completed within a year. He was also felicitated with the prestigious Padma Shri Award in 2012 for his incredible achievement in the field of adventure sports.

Several girls in India are suggested to get married early but, boys, on the other hand, are allowed to go out and explore the world. But, Deeya’s parents have always encouraged her to take up adventure sports. These days women are excelling in everything while some of them are doing way better than men. Therefore, every parent must support their girl child to go ahead with whatever they want to do in life.

Image Courtesy: Naidunia