Advit Goleccha is the youngest Asian to climb Mt. Everest’s base camp. Shweta Golechha, his mother, made this feat possible. We should applaud her strength, willpower, efforts, and energy. The journey from Advit’s birth to his climb to Everest Base Camp (EBC) did have troubles, but Shweta met them head-on with a smile.
A deep bond with mountains brought the idea to Shweta
A jewellery designer settled in UAE, Shweta, was managing her business with her brother, Saurabh Sukhani. Life was regular until it changed.
At 23, she was persuaded by her friend for her first trek. Since then, being in the mountains became her meditation. After marriage, she told Gaurav Golechha, her husband, that trekking was her soul and she wouldn’t part with it.
Within a year, she was expecting Advit. It was unimaginable for her to stay away from the mountains. She found that the difficulty level of the trek to EBC was the same as the Roopkund trek. As she had been to Roopkund, she found EBC reachable.
Shweta discovered that some people train their children to trek from a young age. It inspired her. She became determined to make her child the youngest to climb to EBC. The only thing she knew was that she would try her best.
Shweta was not afraid as she knew her capability, her son’s capacity and the beloved mountains
She began her research from Advit’s birth. She met people who had trained their children for trekking. Then, she began training Advit.
Walking and climbing were the essences of his training.
Even at the age of 11 months, she took him to the mountains. At 1.5 yrs., she made Advit play in the snow at Manali daily for 15 days. Advit needed to be accustomed to low temperature and air pressure. Every day Advit walked three to four km. His mother had tricks to allure him – climbing to his UAE house on the 14 th floor, shopping, and stories of superheroes.
The only thing his mother was fighting a war against was AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). If Advit had suffered from AMS, he wouldn’t have trekked to EBC at four years and one month. Adults can pop pills to prevent AMS, but a child has no such advantage.
“Saurabh and Gaurav were my pillars.” – Shweta Golechha
Advit’s mother was excited to make him the youngest to climb EBC. But what about his father? He could be scared or protective.
He was neither.
He was supportive of Shweta. As part of his efforts, he tried to acclimate Advit to low temperatures. Every vacation was spent on a mountain top, preferably the Himalayas.
Not only her husband but her in-laws and parents completely supported Shweta’s endeavour. Her mother has always encouraged her to pursue what her heart desires. Despite the ill-health of her father-in-law just six days before the climb, her family enthused Shweta to achieve her dream.
Saurabh had difficulties accompanying Shweta to EBC, but he made it. He kept Advit entertained during the trek.
Hardships were many, but Shweta did not doubt the success of her
adventure
Shweta planned to take Advit to EBC at the age of three. The COVID pandemic devastated her plan for 2020. 2021 was her last chance to make Advit the youngest to have climbed EBC. So, she chose to complete the trek in November instead of May (the ideal month).
All went as planned during the trek. On the last leg, about 30 minutes from EBC, the porter said that Advit might have AMS. At no cost, he should sleep. Shweta and Saurabh didn’t lose hope and kept Advit awake by narrating stories and showing videos. At last, they were successful.
This mompreneur manages her child, her business, and trekking with ease
Shweta has a brilliant set of Karigars who create silver jewellery with different traditional paintings in Bikaner. Here again, Saurabh is the support behind marketing and sales. After marriage, she moved to UAE. Today, she designs the jewellery and manages the Karigars through video conferencing without any difficulty.
As far as trekking is concerned, Advit has accepted it as a part of his life. Shweta trained him to love mountains as much as she does throughout his growing years.
“It’s all in the mind,” says Shweta Goleccha
We will achieve despite the difficulties if we make up our minds. As soon as the mind is ready, the body follows. The mantra behind this mompreneur’s fearlessness is that the journey matters, not the destination.
Instagram link – https://www.instagram.com/shvet_silver/
A technical writer in the field of life sciences, Aarti Bhola, pursued graduation and post-graduation in Biotechnology and Microbiology respectively. She is passionate about researching and writing informative content about any topic. A feather in her cap was her entrepreneurial venture, Melange Handicrafts, that sold lifestyle and home decor goods online. She continues to explore her artistic side via doodling and hand lettering.
