Interview

Kuntal Joisher:World’s first vegan to scale Mount Everest

Hello everyone!!
We interviewed extremely talented, motivated, strong, determined for his passion, world’s first vegan to scale Mt. Everest. Software engineer by profession and mountaineer by passion. Yess… it’s Kuntal Joisher.

How u became a mountaineer?
Kuntal Joisher: Just to clarify i m not a professional mountaineer, it’s my passion, engineering still pays my bills. It was just a simple vacation in Shimla, when we reached at the top of the mountain we were climbing, from that time i fell in love with mountains, at the top state of mind was so calm and it was all where i started.
Tell us about the change in your life from past to the present.
Kuntal Joisher : In many ways my life is changed, like earlier i was such an unhealthy person, weighing 110 kgs, no interest in physics fitness, no interest in climbing any mountain, there are many changes but i m going to point out one that’s today’s Kuntal is a lot more patient than the past. If i and the past Kuntal were sitting in the same room i would have not talk to him. There is a drastic change.
What was your family reaction on your decision to the summit?
Kuntal Joisher: When i took that decision i decided to discuss it with my family, ofcourse if i was single, i would have not but with family comes responsibility, unfortunately that time my dad was suffering with the dimensia disease at an advance stage, so i sat down with my mother and wife, I said them climbing Everest is the biggest dream of my life, I really want to do it, my family had the idea about the deaths on the expedition of Mt. Everest, people dying, loosing their toes, fingers, 1000 of people getting injured every year, they didn’t say no but they were worried about my health. I am giving a disclaimer, do not do this with your parents, I gave them 2 options, I will go to the top and be happy OR I will not go and stay as dead alive at home, I did emotional blackmail. But over the next 5-6 yrs I demonstrated them that I am a good, safe, strong climber. If i feel any risks or anything on an expedition I will come back to them. I think that anyone who has a risky dream not only mountaineering like anything, it would be good to sit down discuss, explain them why you are so passionate, that you are prepared for what you want to do.
Tell us about your experience in physical training as a vegan?
Kuntal Joisher: I want to point out that physical training as a vegan or non-vegan don’t have that major difference. People say there is less protein, it’s not like that, but you have to plan your diet smartly like if you want to go to the top of the world you need that top diet plan for your physical fitness. There is no rocket science in that. People just hype that a lot. Plus vagan is not a diet it’s a lifestyle, an ethical choice of a human.
How did you prepare yourself mentally for the expeditions?
Kuntal Joisher: If you want to be mentally fit, with my opinion start staying physically fit, for example I say I workout 300 steps up and down, I live ina 4 floor building, so 75 times up and down. So pany people get tierd from every angle. But le after finishing say to my body lets to some more, my body is tierd, but I push myself more. So what I want to say is using physical fitness as a medium you can improve your mental fitness. Also if you have any fear, get over it. Start confronting it but under a supervision. I had fear of heights, I overcome it. Build experience.
Tell us about your first expedition to Mt. Everest?
Kuntal Joisher : To experience first I did 2 attempts, in 2014 17people died on the expedition, in 2015 we were in the middle of 7.8 magnitude earthquake, biggest in the last 100 years. Plus an avalanche hit the base camp, I would say that, that time I miraculously escaped death, I got a second chance. In 2016 I went again I noticed the managers of the lodges said that i am lad, i cale in 2014, 2015 and now again in 2016, it was funny, we laughed. So smoothly on May 19 9:20 in the morning we were just a few steps close to the top of the world, so Mingma said come fast when he reached at the top,he was with me, hes my mentor,brother,guide, family, he is just a rockstar, my first thought was, okay its done Everest is done for now and all, but then this was just for 15-16 seconds and then automatically tears came from my eyes, I called home I had a satellite phone and said I am on the top of the world. It was such a great moment of my life. If i have to give credits 70% I would give to Mingma, 25% to my mother and wife and then 5% to me as i was just putting one step after the other. In 2019 me and Mingma went again for the summit to Mt. Everest, this time we went from the chinese side, at 9:30pm de were at the last base camp and from there we climb for 4 hours at night. There is a second step rock face, it’s 40 feet long, it’s a hard section, both of us were there as 3 people ahead were stuck. We went further then, i thought if i give up i will return home, with regrets and then sadness so we went to the top, when we reached at the top I said Mingma lets take a picture and then return, because it was the second time, I was tierd, i said lets just take a pic and then start descending, as the weather was bad, complicated so i thought lets just stay happy and safe. In 2019 13people died on Everest.
What did you feel when you almost died by doing what u love?
Kuntal Joisher : As a mountaineer we talk about death. If i say, i was scared, there was no place place to run everywhere there was snow, but more than sacred i was so sad like now i will be dead. But luckily i escaped that death, and i m so grateful that i got a second chance 10000 people died in that earthquake in nepan 500000 people become homeless, so i m so grateful since 2015 i see my life as a second chance.
Tell us about your experience at the Hillary step.
Kuntal Joisher: In 2015 earthquake, the 2 bolds defines that step dislodged in that earthquake so now there is just a snow patch over there a slope. People who climbed before 2015 have experienced it.
Today many people like mountaineering, everyone wants to climb Mt. Everest, what should be the procedure according to you?
Kuntal Joisher : First is you should stay physically fit, do a mountaineering course, go step by step like 4000, 5000, 5500 treks in Himalaya, experience high altitudes and then 8000, once the course is finished don’t stop try more, in snow, in ice, do at night, as i said build experience and then automatically there will be a call from inside that you are ready for the expedition to Mt. Everest.
How you manage the finance for the summits?
Kuntal Joisher: When I went in 2014, my employment sponsered me, I worked in the company for 14-15 years, they saw my journey they said they will sponser me. In my second attempt i did crowd funding online and offline some gave 500, some 5000, some 50000 and some anonymous people gave 300000, they said, they can’t go but they can through me. And in 2016 i said i did everything now i took all the savings from ly career, took some loan from my brother, also i took loan from the companies of mountaineering in Nepal. So if u want to summit to Mt. Everest you have to be ready for the finance planning, its important.
What are some protein rich vegan dishes?
Kuntal Joisher: Tofu, its one of my favourite, its like paneer in vegan form, wheat gluten, and in tegular basis dal, nuts and all.
What was the best moment of your life?
Kuntal Joisher: There are 2, one when i was on the top of the world and second when my daughter cale into my life, most precious ones.