Noida teenager scales new heights, summits Lhotse

A year after becoming the youngest Indian atop Mount Everest, Noida teenager Arjun Vajpai created a world record today by becoming the youngest person on top of Mount Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: May 21, 2011, 01:48:11 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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A year after becoming the youngest Indian atop Mount Everest, Noida teenager Arjun Vajpai (17) created world record on Friday by becoming the youngest person on top of Mount Lhotse (8516 m), the fourth highest mountain in the world.

Arjun along with three other Sherpas (climbing guides) set foot on the peak at 8:10am taking advantage of good weather and clear skies.

Lhotse, which is located close to Everest, is one of the least climbed 8000 m plus peaks in the world and is considered by many mountaineers as more difficult to conquer than Everest.

"I have made it. I am standing on Mt. Lhotse and feeling very happy," the student of Ryan International School (Noida) told his elated parents via satellite phone from the peak.

At 17 years and 11 months, Arjun broke the record set last year by an Italian girl Tamara Lunger who was 23 when she conquered Lhotse.

"Lhotse is a very difficult mountain and Arjun's feat is commendable," said Ang Tshering Sherpa, former president of Nepal Mountaineering Association and organizer of Arjun's expedition.

On May 22 last year Arjun had become the youngest person atop Everest. His brief record was shattered the same day by a 13-year-old US teen, Jordan Romero, who reached the peak soon after Arjun.

INDIANS CREATE RECORDS ATOP EVEREST

Friday was a day of new records by Indian climbers atop Everest as well. Premlata Aggarwal, a 48-year-old, a housewife from Haryana with two grown-up children became the oldest Indian woman on top of the world.

Vikas Kaushik and his wife Sushma, a couple from Haryana became the first Indian couple on Everest. Like Premlata, it was the first time the couple was attempting to scale Everest.

While the Kaushiks reached the peak at 10:25am, Aggarwal reached the top 30 minutes before them. Sunita Singh, Pawan Grewal and Narinder Singh were other Indians who set foot atop Everest on Friday.

"We are elated but there was an air of tension. Arjun wants to keep climbing mountains and we are slowly getting used to the idea," said his mother Priya over phone from Noida.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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