Everest 2018: Interview with Kuntal Joisher – Integrity in Motion
This interview with Kuntal Joisher is one of an ongoing series I do each season with Everest climbers. Not the famous, sponsored ones who get plenty of publicity but the regular people, who often have full time jobs, full time families and climb for the love of the climb. I welcome suggestions for anyone climbing in 2018 I should interview. My first interaction with Kuntal was in 2010 with an email that started “What attracted me to your website is a very important term in both our lives “Dementia”. Your mother passed away because of Alzheimers (most common form of Dementia), and my dad was diagnosed of Lewy body dementia back in 2002 at a very young age of 52 years. I can very well empathize with your situation about your mom. My dad is currently in advanced stages of his dementia, and one of my prime goals of life is to make sure he gets the best possible quality of however much life remains of him.” And with that we have been friends for eight years finally meeting at Everest Base Camp in 2016. I’ve come to admire this gentle man as a person of courage, conviction and integrity. He was thwarted, like so many, from his dream to summit Everest in both 2014 and 2015 but achieved his dream at 9:20 am May 19, 2016. The stereotype of Everest climbers is that of a selfish, rich person who hires many Sherpas to drag them to the summit. In my experience, that is a tiny percentage and not the majority. Kuntal is a role model for many Everest summiters, a person who has a long love of mountains that grew into mountaineering and one day took personal and financial risks to pursue his dream. He grew up in India, moved to Los Angels and then back to back to Mumbai, India in late 2006 to become the primary caregiver for his Dad. He has a world view that is reflected in his passionate speaking and writing, plus his photography. Kuntal has summited two 8000ers, Everest and Manaslu and is now going to attempt Lhotse in the Spring of 2018. Other peaks on his CV include Chulu far east, Island peak, Chamser kangri, Mentok Kangri , Mt Nakorche – first ascent – June 2013 , Mt Basisi – first ascent – June 2012 and Stok Kangri – July 2011. Kuntal received global recognition as being the first “strict” vegan to summit Everest. While he attracted many admirers, he also brought on the critics. That same year Maria (Marissa) Strydom’s died on Everest. She had a mission to ‘prove vegans can do anything” and her death created a tremendous amount of headlines around diet for climbers and in many cases lead to shameful ridicule of her beliefs and practices. As I processed that experience with Kuntal and that others had already claimed to have summit Everest as a vegan, he told me: “I don’t claim [to be the first to summit Everest]. Others claim on my behalf inspite of explicitly telling them that I may not be the first. And Dr. Atanos writes on his personal website – I am a Vegan who eats Honey. It’s like saying I am a Vegetarian who eats Fish. If you are a Vegan you don’t eat honey. Period. And if you eat honey then you are not a Vegan and should stop claiming to be one. Truly speaking no Vegan has summited Everest yet. Because as long as we use insulation jackets made of Down we are not Vegan. As simple as that. I have so many times told so many people I am not the first Vegan but no one listens. So I have stopped caring. If people want to write they can The more the word Vegan comes out and gets attached to me the more good it does to the overall cause. You can see my full interview with him at this link. With that, lets get deeper into Kuntal Joisher. Q: Lets start with the climb and motive behind this climb. Why did you choose Lhotse for your next 8000er? I’ll be very frank. Lhotse is not my first choice. Makalu was. Lhotse was my second choice. However, a couple of dear friends – Sylvain and Caroline, reputed alpinists from Quebec, and also with whom I share my first 8000 summit of Manaslu, signed up to climb Lhotse. That’s when I decided that I’ll also climb Lhotse since I wanted to climb with both of them again. And of course, I have always wanted to see how Everest looks from the top of Lhotse. And I have always wanted to climb through the Lhotse couloir. So I’ll be back again at Everest base camp in few days and I’m looking forward to crossing Khumbu ice-fall, walking through Western Cwm, finally climbing Lhotse face and then diverging to climb to the top of Lhotse. I’m very much looking forward to the challenge. Q: The final few hundred meters on Lhotse is notorious for dangerous rockfall. Are you doing anything special to stay safe? I don’t see Lhotse as any different from any other 8000er or for that matter any high mountain or for that matter any mountain – even one that can be climbed in a day. Over the last 9 years of my venturing into the mountains I have realized to never underestimate any mountain. Respect the mountain, take the right calls, and stay safe to climb another day. During my climbing career I have turned around quite a few times on my expeditions when I have deemed the conditions unsafe. Sure I lose money, time and all the effort goes in vain, but I’m alive, doing well, and have never had a case of even a frostnip on my expeditions. I think having the correct attitude on the mountain is very important. Now specifically to answer your question, in past few months my training has been completely centered around hiking and climbing quite a bit on exposed rock in the Western ghat mountains. I did this specifically to prepare for the Lhotse couloir which has similar terrain. I have already climbed to Camp