'Biggest Learnings Are In Mountains': Vidya Singh, Oldest Indian Woman To Climb Kilimanjaro

When 72-year-old Vidya Singh stood 5,895 metres above sea level, all she could feel at that surreal moment was, "This is pure magic!" In March this year, she rewrote history, becoming one of the oldest women in India to scale Mount Kilimanjaro. However, there was no fanfare or cinematic triumphant music in the background—just her and nature, wind cutting across her face, and the vast African sky unfolding above. "Once you get into trekking in the mountains, the mountains seep into your soul. You just want to be there, you want to keep going back," Singh expressed in an interview with SheThePeople.

Mount Kilimanjaro was the 19th trek for the Chennai resident, whose love for mountain climbing began in 2013. From Ladakh's Himalayas to Peru's Machu Picchu, Singh has walked trails that most people only dream of. However, her passion for sports started way before that, right from her childhood. 

Vidya Singh's Sporting Career

Coming from the royal family of the erstwhile Vijayanagaram kingdom in Andhra Pradesh, sports were not just a pastime but a way of life. "Luckily, I am blessed with good genes from my parents and good training," she recounted. "They always focused on sports and fitness right from even before we were seven or eight years old."

Singh is an athlete at heart, having played numerous sports growing up. "I played tennis for a few years, captaining the Madras University team when I studied at Stella Maris College. I was also a horse rider and a runner, but due to a hip injury about 15 years ago, I started other exercises like cycling and trekking," Singh described.

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Singh also started competitive swimming about a decade ago. "We had a swimming pool in our house in Madras, so I started swimming when I was very small," she said. "Now I compete in the annual national Masters event. In May, I'm going to the Pan-Indian Masters Games. In August, I'll be going to my first international swim meet in Singapore."

"When you go to these events, it's hugely motivating because you compete in your age category, and a lot of them are professional swimmers who've been represented in national games, or Asian games, etc, and they are still passionate about the sport. I've also made friends with a whole lot of swimmer ladies who come from different parts of the country. So it's very motivating."

Evolving Fitness Goals 

Vidya Singh acknowledges that fitness, like life, is an evolving journey. What worked in her 20s may not work in her 70s, and that's perfectly okay. "I never stopped exercising, but I think as you go along, what I have changed my exercise routines now is I don't do anything that has any impact, like running or jumping."

"There are two things you need in your life at any age, whether you're 15 years old or 75 years old: discipline and consistency. There should never be a time in your life when you're not physically active, in whatever capacity... And the younger you are, the better. If I had started mountain climbing when I was 30, I would have been doing far more than I can do now. But I have to accept what I'm capable of doing and do that, which is climbing trekkable summits."

While Singh remains humble about her achievements, there’s no denying her growing influence. Beyond sports, she is also the President of the International Women’s Association, and is involved with FICCI FLO, Soroptimist International, and is a patron of the Karunnai School for destitute and mentally disabled children.

Singh is also the co-founder of Sumyog Wedding Planners with her friend Rekha Rangaraj. "We started about 21 years ago and worked in so many places in India. My most high-profile guest at a wedding was Mark Zuckerberg. He had flown to Goa on a Learjet for a Facebook employee's wedding. He really enjoyed himself!"

Trekking Journey

Singh trekked Mount Kilimanjaro with an organisation called GetUpAndGo, led by Arjan Kripal. "It was a really well-organised trek. I'm not quite at that age where I can do technical climbs with ropes and pickaxes. But Kilimanjaro, even though it's close to 6,000 metres, is a trekkable summit. I'm just happy we got the chance to go."

"I had two friends join me from Australia, one girl from Hyderabad, and some people from Chennai. In Tanzania, two German gentlemen joined us. We were a very eclectic mixed group; a lot of fun camaraderie. You build friendships as you go along and look after each other. It's a lovely atmosphere out there in the mountains," Singh shared.

In all her years of mountain climbing, the Harmukh Glacier trek in Kashmir has been Singh's favourite. "Kashmir is just extraordinarily beautiful! The campsite was on a beautiful meadow next to a lake, with mountains in front of you right outside the tents. There are villages all over the mountains, and I have the greatest respect for those people who live there. We have some extraordinary beauty across the Himalayan ranges. It's unbelievable."

Singh expressed what keeps taking her back to the mountains. "My biggest learnings have been out in the mountains because whenever we climb, you never say, 'I conquered the mountain.' You learn to leave your ego behind and climb with the greatest respect for nature. You just pray to the universe to have a safe trek. That's it."