"Chose Both Tradition, Strength": Chennai Doctor Scales Kilimanjaro In Saree

NDTV

12-07-2025

Chennai:
Scaling Mount Kilimanjaro is no ordinary achievement. But Chennai-based dentist and adventurer Dr Issa Fathima Jasmine added a powerful twist - she reached the summit of Africa's tallest peak in a traditional silk sari, challenging stereotypes around strength, identity, and tradition.
For most of the six-day trek, Issa wore five to seven layers of track pants and thermal tops to battle sub-zero temperatures. But at the summit - in freezing minus 14 degrees Celsius - she changed into a sari and boots, shedding the layers to stand tall in her cultural identity. She even performed push-ups at the peak, 19,341 feet above sea level.
"It wasn't planned to be a performance," she said. "I wore the sari because I wanted to carry all of me to the top - not just the climber, but the woman shaped by tradition."
For Issa, this climb was about more than endurance. "The world often tells us what strength should look like - tough, loud, armored. But I believe strength can also be quiet, rooted, and wrapped in six yards. Strength is not what you wear - it's who you are," she said.
Having already completed the Everest Base Camp trek, Issa picked Kilimanjaro for its symbolism and silence. "It forced me to walk with doubt, in darkness, with no applause - and still keep going."
She packed the sari with care, unsure if she'd wear it. But once at the top, she knew: "I didn't have to choose between tradition and strength. I brought both - and they belonged there."
What's next for Issa? She doesn't know - and she's okay with that. "I just want to keep showing up. Fully. Honestly. As I am."