At 16, K Karthikeyan youngest Indian to scale Mt Everest

Jamshedpur: Kaamya Karthikeyan, a 16-year-old mountaineer, has become the youngest Indian to summit Mt. Everest from the Nepal side, as announced by the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) on Thursday.

Supported by the TSAF, Kaamya was accompanied by her father, Commander S. Karthikeyan of the Indian Navy, during their ascent to the world’s highest peak.

“With this achievement, she is now the second youngest girl globally and the youngest Indian to climb Mt. Everest from the Nepal side,” the Western Naval Command stated in a post on X.

Kaamya and her father reached the summit, standing at 8,848 metres, on May 20.

“Kaamya has now completed six of the seven highest summits across the continents. She aims to climb Mt. Vinson Massif in Antarctica this December, aspiring to become the youngest girl to achieve the 7 Summits challenge,” the Western Naval Command added in their post. Kaamya is a Class XII student at Navy Children School, Mumbai.

“We are incredibly proud of Kaamya Karthikeyan’s extraordinary accomplishment of summiting Mt. Everest at such a young age. Her journey showcases the spirit of perseverance, meticulous preparation, and unwavering determination,” said TSAF Chairman Chanakya Chaudhary in a statement.

Chaudhary also noted that Kaamya serves as an inspiration to young adventurers worldwide, proving that with dedication and the right support, even the most ambitious dreams can be realised.

Kaamya is a recipient of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Shakti Puraskar, an award recognizing children for exceptional achievements.

According to the TSAF, Kaamya and her team arrived in Kathmandu on April 6. After acclimatisation and several days of planning, her final ascent began on May 16 from the Everest Base Camp, culminating in the summit push early on May 20.

Kaamya’s mountaineering journey began at age seven with a high-altitude trek to Chandrashila Peak (12,000 ft) in 2015. The following year, she completed more challenging treks such as Har-ki-Dun (13,500 ft), Kedarkantha Peak (13,500 ft), and Roopkund Lake (16,400 ft).

In May 2017, she trekked to Everest Base Camp (17,600 ft) in Nepal, becoming the second youngest girl to achieve this feat. In May 2019, she trekked to Brighu Lake (14,100 ft) and crossed the Sar Pass (13,850 ft) in Himachal Pradesh.