It feels amazing, says Kaamya Karthikeyan, youngest Indian to scale Mt. Everest

By Ismat Tahseen

Jun 02, 2024 07:17 PM IST

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The 16-year-old who’s just back from Nepal, says her achievement hasn’t sunk in yet.

While other kids her age were consumed by toys, Kaamya Karthikeyan discovered her passion for hiking. At just 16, she became the youngest Indian and the second-youngest girl, globally, to summit Mount Everest from the Nepal side. “It feels amazing. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it was a dream my dad and I had for a long time,” she shares. Accompanied by her father, Indian Navy Commander S Karthikeyan, the journey was “special” for the Mumbai girl. Kaamya adds, “He’s my role model and climbing partner.”

Kaamya Karthikeyan (16) from Mumbai, has become the youngest Indian and the second-youngest girl, globally, to summit Mount Everest (Kaamya Karthikeyan )

‘Temperatures were around -25°C and we got windburn’
The decision to ascend Everest came way back in 2017, when Kaamya trekked to Everest Base Camp with her mother. “I’ve always been mesmerised by the mountains. Standing there, with miles of gorgeous ice and snow around and a challenging journey ahead, I realised that Everest was a dream I had to fulfil,” she admits.

In April, the duo began their two-month push, but it was no easy feat. They had to endure a grueling pace, hiking for eight hours a day at 8,000 ft above sea level and climbing halfway through the Khumbu icefall, which was done mainly to remove fear as this is a tricky place with sudden crevasses or holes that you can fall though. She says, “I was nervous. We had to acclimatise to the weather as temperatures were around -25°C. The snow was constantly hitting us and we got windburn on our faces. It was also tough not having anyone my age to talk to.”

Making it to the pinnacle was “an experience I will not forget.” “I spoke to my dad [who was an hour behind] and to my mum on the radio. They were so happy. I was thrilled. After two long months, we finally had an audience with the summit of Sagarmatha (Nepali name for Everest) on May 20,” she smiles.

Next up? Mt. Vinson, Antarctica

But she isn’t stopping and plans to climb Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, in December. “This is the last challenge for me to complete the Seven Summits. I’ve begun training as mountaineering demands constant hard work,” she says. For the moment, she plans on having a few cheat meals of “chicken tandoori and ice cream.”