Radhika - Director at Barclays
Pratyush Pillai - Student
Pradeep Pillai - Founder, AcadMart
A Journey That Changed Our Family Forever
Our journey with Sagarmatha Explorers and Mr. Shreekant Dhumale began with a simple dream — to do something adventurous together as a family.
At that time, my son Prathyush was just 15 years old. My wife Radhika and I had often spoken about taking up an adventure together as a family, but the truth was, none of us had ever done trekking before. High-altitude trekking felt far beyond our comfort zone. But Shrikant believed in us even before we believed in ourselves. He convinced us that we could do it.
What started as a single goal — completing the Everest Base Camp trek — eventually became the beginning of a four-year journey into the world of high-altitude trekking and adventure.
The preparation itself became an unforgettable experience. Under Shreekant’s guidance, we trained extensively through multiple treks across India. He pushed us not only physically but mentally as well. He introduced us to rappelling, climbing, and outdoor survival experiences so that we would become mentally comfortable with uncertainty, fear, and challenge.
One lesson he constantly reminded us of was this: the mind is the most important part of any adventure.
He always told us that if we kept focusing on how difficult the journey was, or kept questioning whether we could do it, then the entire experience would become a struggle instead of an adventure. The right frame of mind, according to him, was to stay present, embrace the experience, and enjoy the journey itself.
That lesson stayed with us throughout the Mt. Everest Base Camp trek.
The trek was magical in every sense. We crossed massive hanging bridges suspended over roaring rivers, walked across ice and glaciers, visited beautiful monasteries hidden in the Himalayas, and experienced a kind of peace that is difficult to describe in words.
Our Sherpas brought incredible energy to the journey. We sang, laughed, danced, and walked together through some of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth. The mountains had a way of slowing life down and helping us appreciate the simplest moments.
But perhaps the most special part of the journey was being together as a family.
The Himalayan Milestone
Our first dream was Everest Base Camp. Standing at the base of the world’s highest peak with our son, Pratyush, was an overwhelming moment. Just months earlier, a small hike felt daunting; now, we were breathing the thin air of the Himalayas. That journey transformed our fear into quiet, unshakable confidence.
Chasing the Horizon
Fuelled by that success, I later returned to the Himalayas for the Gokyo Lakes Trek. It was one of the most serene and breathtaking experiences of my life—a true moment of inner peace.
Our First Seven Summits
Our journey didn't stop there. Radhika and I applied our training once more to face Mount Kilimanjaro. Under Shreekant’s guidance, we successfully stood on the "Roof of Africa."
The Realization
Looking back, the biggest transformation wasn’t the stamps in our passports; it was realizing that "ordinary" people can achieve the extraordinary with the right guidance. You don’t need to be born an athlete to stand on a great mountain. You just need the courage to take the first step and the right mentor to lead the way.
