Beyond the wall

Squadron Leader Toolika Rani is a multifaceted personality who has exhibited exemplary courage, determination and grit to prove her mark in several challenging fields. She has served in Indian Air Force for ten years and as Outdoor Training Instructor in Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, has trained hundreds of future officers in outdoor military training, including India’s first three female fighter pilots. With 23 mountaineering and trekking expeditions in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Iran, Africa and Russia, she is the first woman from the state of Uttar Pradesh to climb Mt. Everest in 2012 and is the first Indian woman to climb Asia’s highest volcano Mt. Damavand in Iran.

A phenomenal speaker, she has delivered over 130 talks and interviews in India, the USA, UK, Bulgaria and Italy on forums such as TEDx, Toastmasters, Rotary International, FICCI, ITC Infotech, and multinational Radio and TV channels. She speaks on Power of Mind, Visualisation, How to Overcome Fear of Failure, Success Mindset, Reaching your Everest, Bouncing Back, Importance of Emotions in Material Success, Mental Health, and Human Unity. She is the Ambassador of India, Women Empowerment Committee, in World Leader Summit ecosystem, and Brand Ambassador, SVEEP program of Election Commission of India, with Uttar Pradesh govt, for Lucknow District, to generate voter awareness. Her short stories, poems and articles on gender issues, travel and adventure sports, Buddhism, Tibetan community, environment and humanity are regularly published. Her book ‘Beyond That Wall: Redemption on Everest’ has been published in October 2021 from Delhi, has received Sahitya Shree Award. She is also a co-author of the book, ‘Aim for the Sky and Stars’.

For her outstanding achievements, she has been felicitated with 14 awards including Rani Laxmi Bai Bravery Award, Outstanding Global Woman Award, Global Excellence Award, AspiringShe Power Award for Courage and Resilience, The Real Super Woman Award etc. An ardent supporter of gender justice, environmental preservation, human unity and harmony, she is an inspiring combination of human will, intellect, powerful oratory and dynamism.