Author’s note: I wrote this story on the challenges of climbing Mount Everest for the The Hindustan Times’ Sunday magazine, Brunch, in 2009. I was reminded of it when I read news reports that at least 10 people have died on Everest in the 2019 climbing season. Since HT doesn’t seem to have a copy of this piece online, … More Why do hundreds of mountaineers risk life and limb to touch the top of the world every year?