Everest Twins and Miss Malini share their stories at International Women’s Summit

Education New Zealand, the official government agency for overseas education, curated its first International Women’s Summit — Women of the Future. The summit was held virtually on March 8.

The speakers included Tashi and Nungshi Malik, the first twins to climb the Seven Summits and reach the North and the South Poles. The Everest Twins, as they are called, are New Zealand scholarship awardees. They shared the screen with Malini Agarwal, founder of Miss Malini. Also present were David Pine, the high commissioner of New Zealand in India; and Jugnu Roy, director for engagement, Education New Zealand.

Excerpts from the conversation:

Childhood

Nungshi Malik: Our childhood and education were highly unconventional and diverse. What else would you call it when you end up studying in over nine schools across as many states by the time you finish high school? We then signed up for graduation through distance education to get more time to do as many things as we loved.

Taking up mountaineering

Tashi Malik: Everyone wonders how we got into mountaineering. We were on a quest for self-discovery without pushing ourselves into selecting a career option that we weren’t passionate about. Without our knowledge, our father applied for a basic mountaineering course in a reputable institute. Initially, we reacted with disbelief and fear. But then our dad’s logic was strong. He said with exposure to physical danger and challenges, we would know much more about the unknown us.

Challenges

Tashi: We have faced challenges on account of being women. Most people, including our mum, relatives and friends were simply aghast when we shared our dream of climbing Everest.

Nungshi: Such a journey for a girl, especially in the context of society such as ours, is full of unique challenges. The hurdles operate at many levels. Society views mountaineering and outdoor activities as a “boys’ thing”. Several medical issues such as periods in particular are a challenge.

Overcoming challenges:

Nungshi: In fighting off the hurdles it is a definite advantage to be together as sisters. We have always had our dad’s solid backing. What’s been our good fortune is receiving international education. First, we completed a certificate course in Peacebuilding from the School of International Training, USA. Then we graduated in Sports and Exercise from the Southern Institute of Technology, New Zealand, under the New Zealand India Sports Scholarship in 2015. We see international education as the primary means by which we can bridge the cultural and linguistic divides that are increasingly polarising our modern world.

Changing career

Malini Agarwal: I started my career as a professional dancer. Then I chose to emcee gigs for Rs 500 a day and go to Pragati Maidan for conventions and hand out pamphlets. All these things we did to make a little money in college. I always wanted to be a video jockey (VJ). I had gone to a couple of auditions. I remember being so shattered about not being a VJ but suddenly so excited about being a copywriter. Cut to the MTV office in Mumbai. But when I had come to Bombay, I had also said that I’m not going to give up and I will be a VJ. I was happy working on the MTV website. One lunch break I decided to go over and audition at a radio station, which went well. So I quit my job and joined as a freelance RJ. I always say radio is my first love and blogging is my marriage.

I was an RJ for almost nine years. Then I got a job at Channel V as the digital content head. On May 5, 2008, I wrote my first blog and I remember having this amazing feeling wash over me. I started writing more blogs. Sometimes when I met people I would introduce myself as a blogger.

Building a brand

Malini: I was this little girl who is there with a flip camera saying ‘hey can I get a video byte’. Now we have so many people like that but then for a celebrity, it was an anomaly. I might not have got the first interview, might have waited hours but (at the end) they would be comfortable. In entertainment journalism, there is a lot of fear that words will be twisted, there is fashion policing and more.

I never thought that I would get back on television. My VJ dream was gone. But ironically when I started Miss Malini, suddenly everybody wanted to know about blogging. We got an actual television show called Miss Malini’s World, which was about me, my life, what I do and my team.

Remember never to waste your free time. The more things you explore will help you to find yourself and who you want to be. The way to know If you are doing it right is if you are fulfilling a need that does not yet exist or doing it better.