Scaling New Heights with Heart and Dedication

Sharavati Prabhu is one of India’s highly distinguished women Mountaineers. She has climbed and trekked extensively in most ranges of the Himalaya, the European Alps and further afield in Central Asia, the Andes, Antarctica, and the Arctic North. In a climbing career that spans over 42 years and seven continents, she has earned a respectable International reputation. 

In early years as an outstanding NCC Cadet she climbed in the Garhwal Himalayas, on, Trishul, Kedardome and Bunderpunch Expeditions.  She then played a prominent role as the youngest member of the Historic Indian Everest Expedition in 1984, which put the first Indian woman Bachendri Pal on the summit.  Since Everest ‘84,  Sharavati has gone on to explore wider vistas around the world and climbed several of the highest mountains both in India and Abroad, making her the only climber in India to have travelled and climbed so widely in other parts of the world, on Rock, Ice and Snow.  She has put Indian Mountaineering in the International spotlight by taking part in various International Climbing Events, representing India at International Mountain summits, presenting papers on Mountain Environment & its preservation, thus showcasing India’s talent abroad and making a remarkable contribution to Indian Mountaineering.  Her climbs have been technical, of high quality, and original, in contrast to the commercially-led climbs that has become the norm today on Everest and other major peaks.  

As well as being an experienced & dedicated mountaineer, Sharavati is also an ace rock climber having successfully established several first ascents on rock routes in India’s Western Ghats and Ramanagram and Savandurga, in South India. 

Abroad, she made first ascents of rock climbs in Wadi Rum, Jordan; and new rock routes in King’s Canyon and Westcape Howe Australia. 

 A selection of her most notable climbs and achievements are listed below

• 1984 – Sharavati was the youngest member of the 1984 Indian Everest expedition which put the first Indian woman – Bachendri Pal on Everest

• 1989, She made the Historical Alpine style First ascent of the Virgin peak “Jitchu Drake” (6970 m) one of Bhutan highest mountains. 

• 1987, She climbed the North-East Ridge of Everest (The Unclimbed Ridge) via Tibet, again in Alpine style and reached the height of 8,000 m without use of supplementary Oxygen.  This was quite a remarkable achievement in itself. 

• 1990 she represented India Internationally at the United Nations “Climb for Peace” by climbing the formidable peak ‘Eiger’ in Switzerland whilst assisting a blind person to reach the summit with her. 

• 1992 She became the first Indian to climb the highest peak of Antarctica “Mt Vinson” in Alpine style.   Also Climbed The highest peaks of the Fansky Mountains, Russia, Central Asia. 

• 1991 – she made the first ascent of the “Hanging Glacier Peaks” in the Kanjiroba Himal of Western Nepal and several other unnamed peaks in Western Nepal. 

• 1995 – Established a new route on Carstenz Pyramind in Indonesia, ascending the highest mountain of Australasia 

• Sharavati has made half a dozen first ascents on virgin mountains in the Himalayas, all in Alpine style, pushing new boundaries for climbing in India. 

• 1986 – Sharavati, is also an established white water rafting guide. She took part in a 21 day Expedition and Rafted down the Mighty Colorado River – The Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. Perhaps the only woman from India to do so.   

• The Charity “Community Action Nepal” (CAN) was Sharavati’s brainchild, set up and established in 1989 & has to date initiated and developed around 45 different Health, Educational and livelihood projects in the Himalayan region.  She also established Community Action Treks (CAT) to promote ethical practices and improve working conditions of porters in the trekking industry.

• Her efforts in responsible tourism and community development have been recognized with awards like the British Guild of Travel Writers Tourism and Community Merit Award (1996) and the Responsible Tourism Award (2008) for CAT

Whilst the modern world has brought with it a variety of commercial Expeditions for climbing high peaks & seeking quick fixes to fame and glory, Sharavati has always been pushing new boundaries, Pioneering new routes and exploring new methodologies in climbing, sensing the need to elevate Indian mountaineering to higher level.

Away from the climbing scene, she is also a distinguished judo player winning GOLD medal at National level competitions, for which she won the Chhatrapati Shivaji Award – the highest state award of Maharashtra.  

Outside of her sporting and adventure world, Sharavati is a proud and devoted mother of two fine young men.    

She has been a staunch advocate of “Responsible Tourism”, a cause very close to her heart.  She was instrumental in setting up and co-founding the charity, CAN along with her late husband, to uplift the quality of lives and livelihoods of the indigenous mountain people in the remotest villages of the Himalayan region.