A tryst between a mountain-loving doctor and Mount Everest - that sums up Dr Murad Lala’s recent conquest of the Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain peak. Lala, a consultant surgical oncologist at the Hinduja National Hospital in Mumbai, became India’s first doctor to conquer Mount Everest on May 19 at 9:10 am, when he finally reached the summit along with five other members of his group.
“I never looked back even for a second, and I was lucky enough that my climb went smoothly,” said 50-year-old Murad Lala, while delivering the Dr Kuppuswamy Memorial Endowment oration here on Saturday at the Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute. The gruelling task, which took Lala and his team eight whole weeks, began last year in October.
So what actually made him think of undertaking such a task? “Well, I always liked mountainous regions, as I had studied in Ooty when I was a child. And when I told my wife and children about it, they were all very supportive,” stated the doctor. More than a doctor, Lala has an adventurer in himself, as he has also learnt skydiving, deep sea diving, bungee jumping, parasailing and white water rafting.
Showing the video which captured his entire trip, Lala explained that after training at the three peaks - Pokhalde, Lobuche East and Island - in Nepal last year, he returned to Mumbai, where he cycled and ran on a treadmill as part of his practice. When he left for the real climb in April, he, however, had to spend most of his time in acclimitisation.
“We would go to the base camp, camp 1 and camp 2, and then return. It was in no way easy,” mentioned Lala. It was only in May that they began the real trek up Mt Everest, which ended on May 19. Lala also thanked his Sherpa, the guide who assisted each climber.
“They tell you whether you can go forward or not, and I told my Sherpa to let me know without hesitation if he thought I should return,” Lala recalls.
How did he feel after finally reaching the summit? “Well, it was a great feeling, but we really didn’t have much time, as we had to take off our masks and take photos and proof,” Lala revealed. The doctor also chose his team, the Peak Freaks, after a meticulous search when he decided to conquer the Mt Everest.
“It’s a Canadian team consisting of five members. I researched a lot before choosing them, and I was right in my choices, as my climb was completed without much problems,” said Lala. The only problem he faced during his climb was when his headlight stopped working because of which he had to rely on others while harnessing on the safety line rope. “It was very difficult, but I made it. I had been praying during the entire journey,” recalled the successful climber.
