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{{Short description|Indian mountaineer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026|cs1-dates=ly}}

'''Mala Honnatti''' is an Indian mountain climber, trekker, and former bank employee.

== Biography ==
She insisted that she was a studious girl during her childhood and she paid firm attention on her studies to gain good grades at college entrance examinations.<ref name="Travel and Leisure Asia 2024">{{Cite web |date=29 May 2024 |title=Meet Mala Honnatti: The Marathoner, Mountaineer & Karate Practitioner Going Strong at 71 |url=https://www.travelandleisureasia.com/in/people/interview-with-mala-honnatti-mountaineer-aged-71/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=Travel and Leisure Asia {{!}} India |language=en-IN}}</ref> She pursued both [[Bachelor of Science]] and [[Bachelor of Laws]]. She hails from Karnataka.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Subrahmanyam |first=Dr U. |date=29 May 2016 |title=Scale it-step by step |url=https://www.asianage.com/people/scale-it-step-step-852 |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=asianage.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==
She developed an ardent interest and passion towards adventure sports during her 30s.<ref name="Travel and Leisure Asia 2024" /> After making a career-defining move by venturing into adventure sports, she broke the stereotypes about the patriarchal mindset that has been incorporated within the typical traditional South Indian family backdrop, where girls are generally groomed only for education and marriage.<ref name="Travel and Leisure Asia 2024" /> In 1984, she had applied to enroll in a trekking program in [[Chanderkhani|Chandrakhani]], [[Himachal Pradesh]].<ref name="Travel and Leisure Asia 2024" /> She then agreed for a low-altitude programme organised by the [[Youth Hostels Association of India]].<ref name="Rao 2022">{{Cite web |last=Rao |first=Yoshita |date=2 September 2022 |title=Unstoppable at 69: She Quit Banking to Scale 12 Mountains, Run Marathons in Antarctica |url=https://thebetterindia.com/296248/senior-citizen-mountaineer-marathoner-mala-honnati-climbs-summits-everest-antarctica/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref> Her decision to join the trekking program at that time marked a significant milestone in her career aspirations towards fulfilling her goals of exploring the adventure.<ref name="Travel and Leisure Asia 2024" />

She then joined the [[Himalayan Mountaineering Institute]], Darjeeling, in 1986. She successfully climbed 12 mountain ranges in India including [[Stok Kangri]], and [[Mount Kilimanjaro]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mani |first=Sowmya |date=30 November 2023 |title='Life Starts at 60': 5 Senior Citizens Travelling The World After Retirement |url=https://thebetterindia.com/335137/senior-citizens-travel-life-after-retirement-trekking-riding-travelling-biking-road-trips/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref> She also engaged in running marathons to enhance her fitness levels and she also began practicising karate as part of her physical training activities. As of 2024, she had established a significant track record of having completed a record tally of 26 full marathons and two ultra-marathons across the world in her lifetime.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 November 2024 |title=Meet the Woman Who Conquered Marathons and Mountains at 71 |url=https://thebetterindia.com/video/meet-the-woman-who-conquered-marathons-and-mountains-at-71/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref>

She set a new record by becoming the first Indian woman to complete the [[Antarctic Ice Marathon & 100k ultra race|Antarctica Ice Marathon & 100k ultra race]]. She also successfully competed in the 2011 edition of the Everest Base Camp Marathon.<ref name="Travel and Leisure Asia 2024" /> At the age of 62, in April 2015, she made ambitious efforts to realize the dream of conquering [[Mount Everest]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 April 2015 |title=Oldest Indian to attempt Everest safe at base camp |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/oldest-indian-to-attempt-everest-safe-at-base-camp/articleshow/47055944.cms |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> However, due to a [[April 2015 Nepal earthquake|deadly fatal earthquake which rocked the entirety of Nepal, claiming the lives of over 8000 people]], her planned expedition was called off, thereby putting an end to her goal of reaching the summit of Mount Everest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sudhakar |first=Samuel |date=5 September 2016 |title=Runversation: Life's an adventure or nothing |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sports/in-other-news/050916/runversation-lifes-an-adventure-or-nothing.html |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=Deccan Chronicle |language=en}}</ref> She nearly missed out on setting a new record of being the oldest male or female Indian to successfully climb Mount Everest.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 April 2015 |title=Former banker from Gurgaon, 62, sets a new target: Mt Everest |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/former-banker-from-gurgaon-62-sets-a-new-target-mt-everest/articleshow/46777792.cms |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> In an exclusive to ''The Better India'', she recalled the memories of her gearing up for Mount Everest summit in April 2015 and she insisted that she was reading a book inside the dining tent, at the time when tremors struck the area.<ref name="Rao 2022" /> The earthquake was a vital blow for her in terms of finance, as she spent INR 23 lakhs for the preparation.<ref name="Rao 2022" />

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Honnatti, Mala}}
[[Category:Indian female mountain climbers]]
[[Category:Indian mountain climbers]]
[[Category:Indian women bankers]]
[[Category:Indian women long-distance runners]]
[[Category:Indian women marathon runners]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Mala Honnatti - Revision history

Veronaidw: created initial info nd citations