She Climbed Everest With a Leaking Mask, Then Trained for Her Next Summit as a New Mother

When 33-year-old Bhawna Dehariya became a mother in 2021, she was expected, like so many women, to slow down, shift focus, and pause the pursuit of high-risk ambitions. But she did the opposite. Between feeding schedules and sleepless nights, Bhawna began preparing for her next expedition. For her, motherhood wasn’t the end of adventure; it became part of it.

This was the same woman who once stood at the top of Mount Everest, oxygen mask leaking, lungs burning, but spirit intact. Her daughter hadn’t been born then. But even now, with a child in her arms, Bhawna isn’t done climbing. She is living proof that the path to Everest doesn’t have to detour around motherhood; it can rise through it.

From a tribal village to the roof of the world

Bhawna was born in Tamia, a small tribal village tucked away in the hills of Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh. Life here was not about alpine dreams; it was rooted in simplicity. But the steep slopes of her village perhaps gave her an early taste of the altitude her life would later reach.

In her youth, she pursued mountaineering formally, later earning a postgraduate degree in physical education and a diploma from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. Her training was rigorous, her determination quiet but unshakeable.

On 22 May 2019, Bhawna scaled Mount Everest, becoming the first woman from Madhya Pradesh to do so. The feat, already monumental, was made even more incredible by what happened along the way — her oxygen mask began to leak during the final stretch. But she kept going.

For 90 minutes, she pressed forward under the open sky, drawing breath through sheer willpower. And then, she stood on the summit!

Her journey didn’t stop there.

Bhawna has since gone on to summit several of the highest peaks across continents: Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mount Kosciuszko in Australia, and Cerro Aconcagua in South America. She has also scaled other challenging summits like Mount Manirang and Mount Yunam in the Indian Himalayas.

A mother who never put her dreams on hold

Then came 2020. Bhawna was preparing for Mount Elbrus, Europe’s highest peak, when the COVID-19 pandemic upended plans across the world. Flights were grounded, borders closed, and all climbs called off.

What could have been a pause in her life became something else entirely. In the months that followed, Bhawna embraced a new challenge: motherhood. And even in that, she didn’t let go of her identity as a mountaineer.

The image of a woman with a toddler on her hip and crampons in her bag is not one we see often. But Bhawna lives that duality with ease.

She resumed training not long after giving birth, balancing parenting with physical preparation and travel. Her story became a quiet resistance to the idea that motherhood and ambition are mutually exclusive.

Climbing forward, lifting others

Beyond her personal conquests, Bhawna has turned her focus toward creating impact. Through awareness campaigns, school outreach, and her foundation, she works to encourage more young girls, especially from marginalised backgrounds, to take up sports, mountaineering, and outdoor leadership.

She also serves as a motivational speaker and has been appointed as the brand ambassador of the Fit India Movement for Madhya Pradesh. In 2022, she received recognition from the state for her contributions to sport and wellness.

For Bhawna, every summit is now a stage to share something larger than the view: the belief that women, no matter where they come from or what role they take on in life, have the strength to climb, again and again.

A life of quiet resilience

Bhawna Dehariya’s story doesn’t demand awe — it earns it. Her courage isn’t theatrical. It lies in the small, stubborn steps: training while her child naps, trekking with the knowledge that she’ll return to motherhood duties just as demanding as the mountain. In the world of Indian adventure sports, she’s not just climbing peaks — she’s resetting expectations.

And somewhere between summit flags and bedtime stories, Bhawna is scripting a legacy that doesn’t split between ambition and care. Instead, it carries both.

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