Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Bahrain-based mountaineer Madhu Sarda’s latest memoir Everest Awakenings: From A Mother’s Heart To the Mountaineer’s Soul has hit the shelves this month.
The 202-page book paints a vivid picture of the 47-year-old Nepalese expatriate’s journey of resilience, self-discovery, and courage.
Madhu is a mother-of-two and one of the few female peak conquerors in Bahrain. The nature lover’s adventures, from scaling altitudes of over 6,100 metres, recognised by the Nepal Mountaineering Association, to achieveing new milestones as an author and artist, are an inspiration to many.
In the book, the yogi and motivational speaker shares how lessons from alpine climbing like endurance, adaptability and resourcefulness can be applied through life’s toughest challenges.
The Barbar resident’s previous works include Moon Mountain (2023), Manifesting Mountains – Trek to Mera Peak (2023) and Everest in My Heart (2020).
“This book (Everest Awakenings) is not just about climbing mountains, it’s about life itself,” Madhu noted.
“It’s written for children, dreamers, corporate professionals, homemakers and anyone who believes it’s never too late to follow their passion,” she added.
“The book is very close to my heart because it draws lessons from my mountaineering experiences across five continents, from the Himalayas to Africa, Europe, Australia, and beyond. Over the years, I have scaled peaks in many countries, and each expedition has taught me something deeper about life, resilience, and human connection.
“One of the key messages is that age is just a number. At a stage in life when many think of settling into routines, I chose to take a different path, to explore and keep learning. When you take that first step with determination, even if the odds are against you, things begin to shift. Gradually, society comes around, people begin to understand, and you realise that when you believe in yourself, others will believe in you too,” Madhu noted.
“I am excited that my (latest) book has reached number one on Amazon Kindle in the Parenting and Families and Law, Ethics and Professional Responsibility categories; and number two in the Survival Biographies and Memoirs section.”
