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Punjab: 6 year-old from Ropar scales Europe’s highest peak
According to his family, in August 2024 he became the youngest Asian to scale Mt Kilimanjaro (the highest peak of the African continent) and his name featured in the Asia Book of records and India Book of records. He had also reached Mt Everest Base Camp (Nepal) in April 2024.
Six-year-old Teghbir Singh has scaled Mount Elbrus which is the highest peak (18,510 feet or 5,642 metres) of the European continent, located in Russia, his family has said. Hailing from Ropar, Teghbir started the trek on June 20 and reached the Elbrus peak on June 28 where the normal temperature remains -10° Celsius, receiving a certificate issued by Mountaineering, Rock Climbing and Sports Tourism Federation of Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (Russia).
The certificate reads, “It is to certify that Teghbir Singh from India is the world’s youngest summiteer on Mount Elbrus at the age of 6 years, 9 months and 4 days.” “With this feat, he has become the youngest to scale Mt Elbrus, surpassing the last year’s world record by Wagah Kushagra (Maharashtra) at the age of 7 years and 3 months,” according to his family.
The boy, a class 2 student, said, “I was walking for the first time on snow. My shoes were heavy but I had practiced it back.”
According to his family, in August 2024 he became the youngest Asian to scale Mt Kilimanjaro (the highest peak of the African continent) and his name featured in the Asia Book of records and India Book of records. He had also reached Mt Everest Base Camp (Nepal) in April 2024.
His father Sukhinderdeep Singh said, “Teghbir started preparing almost a year ago. . He was trained by Bikramjit Singh Ghuman (retired coach) who used to help him with the exercises related to increasing cardiovascular health and lung capacity to deal with altitude sickness. He used to go on weekly treks with me and coach to different hilly locations.”
“It was the first time he was walking in snow with high boots, crampons, harness and oxygen support on. It increased the weight on feet by almost 3-4 kg. He walked and stayed in a low oxygen altitude in a minus grade temperature for almost a week,” said Sukhinderdeep Singh who accompanied him during the journey. Sukhinderdeep works as an administrator in a Ropar hospital.
Teghbir’s mother Dr Manpreet Kaur, a gynaecologist, said, “Diet played a major role in his journey. He followed a strict diet schedule as laid by his coach.”
