A Physician’s Journey to Everest Base Camp

In April 2025, five friends trekked to Everest Base Camp, but they carried a sixth with them. Dr. Shashikiran Umakanth’s three-part chronicle blends high-altitude physiology with profound loss, measuring the journey not just in meters climbed, but in breaths rationed, silences discovered, and memories honoured. From the memorial stones at Thukla Pass to the chaotic beauty of Lukla Airport, from chanting shlokas at 5,364 meters to the life-changing taste of masala dosa in Kathmandu, these essays explore what happens when a physician trained in control surrenders to the mountains… and what he carries home when the trek ends.