Saanika Shah, 21, Who Did 'Bharatnatyam' At Base Camp, Climbs Everest

Saanika Shah, a 21-year-old mountaineer who famously performed a 'Bharatnatyam' recital at the base camp, successfully summited Mount Everest.

Saanika posted on Instagram after her historic feat and said, "I arrived at the base camp today early morning at around 3:30 AM," - as she was exhausted after the climb but was happy to be at the base camp.

"Mount Everest is the most challenging, riskiest, and toughest thing I would have ever done in this lifetime," Saanika added.

Earlier, The Everest News, a platform chronicling successful summit attempts and news from the mountaineering season, said, "According to the Elite Exped Pvt Ltd., Shah reached the summit of the world's highest peak in the morning at 11:23 AM (Nepal time) on May 20, 2026. She was accompanied by climbing guides Lakpa Tenjen Sherpa and Dhansing Tamang. Saanika Shah, who hails from Mumbai, is recognized as the youngest Indian and the first Indian woman to successfully climb Himlung Himal (7,126 meters), which she climbed on October 26, 2025."

Shah is an avid Bharatnatyam dancer, and her successful Mount Everest ascent is a major milestone in her dream to complete the Seven Summits challenge.

She had successfully climbed Mount Elbrus, Mount Kilimanjaro, and has now climbed Mount Everest - the highest mountain peak in the world. Shah had performed a Bharatnatyam recital at the Base Camp of Mount Everest after arriving there at the start of her expedition.

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A post shared by Saanika Shah | Mountaineer | Dancer (@saanikashah_)

After her performance, Saanika Shah had said, "It was always my dream to offer Bharatanatyam at the feet of Everest - Sagarmatha Devi. Not just as a performance, but as a prayer. Standing here in her presence, I didn't feel like a dancer on a mountain. I felt like a devotee in a temple. I tried to express what words cannot surrender, longing, and love for the Divine feminine that Sagarmatha embodies."

"For me, Everest is not just a peak. She is sacred. She is energy. She is Devi. Offering Bharatanatyam here has been one of the purest dreams of my life coming true," she added.

While Mount Everest has two base camps, the most frequently used one by mountaineers is on the south side in Nepal. Most mountaineers begin their summit attempts from the South Base Camp, which is situated at a height of 5,364 meters or 17,598 feet and is usually accessed by treks or helicopters via Lukla Airport in Nepal.

Saanika Shah started her summit attempt from the base camp with Elite Exped, a firm that specialises in delivering tailored guiding experiences on the world's highest mountains. It is led by three record-breaking mountaineers - Nirmal 'Nimsdai' Purja, MBE, Mingma David Sherpa, and Tejan Gurung.