Dlife at 15:55, 6 March 2026

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{{Short description|Indian mountaineer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox climber
| name = Kuntal Joisher
| image = Kuntal-Joisher-vegan-mountaineer.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| full_name = Kuntal Joisher
| birth_name =
| nickname =
| main_discipline =
| other_discipline =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1980|2|26}}
| birth_place = Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| nationality = Indian
| start_age =
| start_discipline =
| majorascents =Mt. [[Everest]], Mt. [[Lhotse]], Mt. [[Manaslu]], Mt. [[Denali]]
| partnerships =
| spouse = Dipti Joisher
| partner =
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
}}
[[File:Kuntal mingma everest summit.jpg|thumb|Kuntal Joisher, and Mingma Tenji Sherpa on summit of Mt. Everest on 19 May 2016|313x313px]]
'''Kuntal Joisher''' (born 26 February 1980) is an Indian mountaineer based in Mumbai. On 15 May 2018, he stood on top of Mt. [[Lhotse]], the 4th highest mountain in the world at 8516 meters.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/maharashtra-man-plants-a-flag-on-mt-lhotse-for-vegans/articleshow/64433502.cms|title=Maharashtra man plants a flag on Mt Lhotse for vegans - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dreamwanderlust.com/news/11-climbers-reached-summit-of-lhotse-today|title=11 climbers reached summit of Lhotse today {{!}} News - Dream Wanderlust|date=2018-05-15|work=Dream Wanderlust|access-date=2018-05-25|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/79-year-old-japanese-oldest-climber-to-scale-mt-lhotse-sherpa-climber-missing-on-mt-everest/|title=79-year-old Japanese oldest climber to scale Mt Lhotse; Sherpa climber missing on Mt Everest|date=2018-05-15|work=The Himalayan Times|access-date=2018-05-25|language=en-US}}</ref> During the course of the expedition, Joisher only consumed strictly vegan food, and used only vegan gear including a one-piece synthetic suit made completely from animal-free material, as well as mittens and gloves constructed devoid of down or leather.

He climbed [[Mount Everest]] from the south side on a completely [[plant-based diet]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.veganfirst.com/article/meet-kuntal-joisher-a-vegan-mountain-climber-who-conquered-mt-everest|title=Meet Kuntal Joisher: A Vegan Mountain Climber Who Conquered Mt. Everest|last=Mehta|first=Palak|work=Vegan First|access-date=2018-05-25|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://veganmagazin.de/2016/kuntal-joisher-vegan-mount-everest/|title=vegan "bis auf die spitze" kuntal joisher auf dem mount everest|date=2016-08-29|work=veganmagazin|access-date=2018-05-25|language=de-DE}}</ref> He reached the summit on 19 May 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/vegan-successfully-climbed-mount-everest/|title=You Won't Hear About it in the News, but a Vegan Successfully Climbed Mount Everest|website=One Green Planet|date=25 May 2016 |access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bt.dk/udland/hvorfor-doede-unge-maria-paa-verdens-hoejeste-bjerg-medier-spekulerer-i-overraskend|title=Hvorfor døde unge Maria på verdens højeste bjerg? Medier spekulerer i overraskende teori|website=www.bt.dk|date=24 May 2016 |access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outdoorhub.com/news/2016/05/24/vegan-climber-dies-attempting-summit-mount-everest/|title=Woman Attempting to Prove Vegans Can Do Anything Dies Summiting Mt. Everest - OutdoorHub|website=OutdoorHub|language=en-US|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref> He is also the first mountaineer to have climbed Mt. [[Manaslu]], the eighth highest mountain in the world, on a completely plant-based diet. He reached the summit on 1 October 2014.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/31937-after-two-failed-attempts-kuntal-joisher-s-dream-of-climbing-the-everest-as-a-vegan-came-true.html|title=After Two Failed Attempts, This Man's Dream Of Climbing The Everest As A Vegan Came True|work=www.mensxp.com|access-date=2018-05-25|language=en}}</ref>

Joisher first went to Nepal in 1984 as a child and returned to Nepal several times for photography and climbing and says he regards Nepal as his "second home". Surviving an almost fatal avalanche during the [[April 2015 Nepal earthquake]], Joisher arranged a photo exhibition after his return and donated income he made from it to relief measures in Nepal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/report/nepal-still-new-to-the-culture-of-safety-among-adventure-companies/20150703.htm|title=Nepal still new to the culture of safety among adventure companies|website=Rediff|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref> He says regarding his expedition, "it was important for me to send a message across the world that vegans can do it. I wanted to debunk every single myth around veganism."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lokaantar.com/en/articles/scaled-everest-debunk-every-single-myth-around-veganism/|title=I scaled Everest to debunk every single myth around veganism|date=2016-05-30|website=Lokaantar : in pursuit of facts|language=en-US|access-date=2016-06-05}}</ref> He reached the summit of [[Denali]] in June 2022.

==Early life==
Kuntal was born in [[India]] to a [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]] (Bhanushali) family. He was raised as a vegetarian, and later turned vegan in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kuntaljoisher.com/about/|title=About Kuntal A Joisher}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bhufoods.com/fearless-vegan-interview-first-vegan-scale-mt-everest-kuntal-joisher/|title=The Fearless Vegan – Interview with First Vegan to Scale Mt. Everest, Kuntal Joisher|publisher=BHU Foods}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-36361984|title=Is it more difficult for vegans to push themselves to physical extremes? - BBC News|work=BBC News |date=23 May 2016 |language=en-GB|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref> He is an alumnus of [[USC Viterbi School of Engineering|USC Viterbi]], where he did his masters in Computer Science.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://viterbi.usc.edu/news/news/2015/mount-everest-avalanche-nepal-kuntal-joisher-mountain.htm|title=USC - Viterbi School of Engineering - A Summit of Courage|website=viterbi.usc.edu|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref>

== 2014 Everest attempt ==
In 2014, Joisher survived a failed attempt during which 16 [[Sherpa people|Sherpa climbing guides]] died in the [[Khumbu Icefall|Khumbu Icefall section]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/everest-climber-captured-in-viral-video-was-on-a-vegan-mission|title=Everest climber captured in viral video was on a vegan mission|website=MNN - Mother Nature Network|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> The accident was the largest accident in the Everest climbing history. In October 2014, Joisher became the first vegan and the second Indian [[civilian]] to summit [[Manaslu]] at 8163 m, the eighth highest mountain in the world.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/05/01/he-dreamt-of-being-the-first-vegan-to-climb-mount-everest-from-nepal-then-the-earthquake-happened/|title=He dreamt of being the first vegan to climb Mount Everest from Nepal. Then the earthquake happened.|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/why-the-only-thing-tougher-than-climbing-mt-everest-is-raising-the-fund-for-it/articleshow/46890443.cms|title=Why the only thing tougher than climbing Mt Everest is raising the fund for it - The Economic Times|website=The Economic Times|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref> A few months before his first Everest attempt, Joisher was called a "fitness star" in a [[The Times of India|Times of India]] article.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/fitness/Superb-ways-to-be-fat-free/articleshow/28378493.cms|title=Superb ways to be fat-free - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref>

== 2015 Everest attempt ==
In an interview about his 2015 attempt, Joisher declared that his motivation to climb Everest was to disprove the notion that a vegan diet is nutritionally deficient,<ref name=":0" /> and wanted to use clothing and equipment not made from animal products.<ref name=":1" /> This attempt also saw Joisher reach for [[Crowdfunding|crowd funding]]; he offered to give away his Everest summit ice-axe to anyone who donated over [[Indian rupee|Rs]]. 100,000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Crowds-fund-underdogs-ticket-to-the-big-stage/articleshow/46902124.cms|title=Crowds fund underdog's ticket to the big stage - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref> His attempt to be the first vegan to summit from the south side failed due to an avalanche that was caused by the [[April 2015 Nepal earthquake|2015 Nepal earthquake]], which resulted in 21 deaths.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2015/04/25/cfa47ee6-eb95-11e4-9a6a-c1ab95a0600b_story.html|title=17 reported dead in Mount Everest avalanche, but toll expected to rise|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref> A video of the incident that featured Joisher went viral on YouTube receiving over 23 million hits.<ref name=":0" /> Joisher trekked with his fellow survivors for 3–4 days from [[Everest Base Camp|EBC]] to [[Lukla]] from where they were transported to Kathmandu by [[Indian Air Force|IAF]] helicopter. They then volunteered to assist relief work for the earthquake hit as they awaited the arrival of their gear. Joisher kneaded dough and cut vegetables for a kitchen that served [[puri bhaji]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/special/inside-nepal-escaping-the-avalanche-to-feed-puri-bhaji-to-quake-survivors/20150505.htm|title=Inside Nepal: Escaping the avalanche to feed puri-bhaji to survivors|website=Rediff|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref> Joisher told NDTV "I'm certain I'll be back again next year".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/what-we-experienced-has-only-made-us-stronger-we-will-be-back-say-everest-base-camp-survivors-760461|title='What We Experienced Has Only Made Us Stronger. We Will be Back,' Say Everest Base Camp Survivors|website=NDTV.com|access-date=2016-05-27}}</ref>

== 2016 Everest successful summit ==
Joisher's 45-day Everest expedition culminated in his climbing the summit on 19 May 2016.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/mumbaikar-just-climbed-everest-vegan-210600082.html|title=This Mumbaikar just climbed Everest, and he's vegan|website=in.news.yahoo.com|access-date=2016-06-05}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Indian summiters of Mount Everest - Year wise]]
*[[List of Mount Everest summiters by number of times to the summit]]
*[[List of Mount Everest records of India]]
*[[List of Mount Everest records]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Indian mountaineers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joisher, Kuntal}}
[[Category:1980 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian summiteers of Mount Everest]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Mumbai]]
[[Category:USC Viterbi School of Engineering alumni]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Plant-based diet advocates]]
[[Category:Indian veganism activists]]

Kuntal Joisher - Revision history

Dlife at 15:55, 6 March 2026