Born in Siddhipur, Lalitpur, Kalpana Maharjan grew up in a traditional Newar farming community, far removed from the Himalayas. From childhood, she challenged gender discrimination, believing women could achieve anything men could.

She began her career as a Tourism Journalist in 2004, developing a passion for mountains and adventure sports. In 2012, she won the First Inter-Media Wall Competition, leaving behind her three-month-old baby to participate. Determined to prove herself, she set her sights on Mount Everest.

Her mountaineering journey began with a 2014 Mera Peak expedition, where she suffered high-altitude illness, fell into a coma for a week, and had to be rescued. Undeterred, she joined the First Women Journalist Everest Expedition in 2018 and summited Everest from the South Side on May 23, 2018, without informing her family. A year later, on May 23, 2019, she climbed Everest again from the North Side, becoming the first female journalist to scale Everest from both sides.

Committed to social causes, Kalpana launched a campaign against child marriage, advocating education as a solution. Despite international laws, Nepal ranks 8th globally in child marriage rates, with many girls married before 18. She initiated a social project in a school in Siddhipur, aiming to expand her efforts, while also promoting sports climbing among girls.

Kalpana has undergone Government Liaison Officer training and works as a Base Camp Manager for mountaineering expeditions. She was nominated as the Goodwill Ambassador of Lalitpur Metropolitan City for Visit Nepal Year 2020 and has traveled to France, Austria, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Germany for promotional events.

She received a World Record Certificate from the World Book of Records, UK, presented by Former President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav on March 17, 2021. In climbing seasons, she manages base camps, and in the off-season, she focuses on her campaign against child marriage in rural schools.