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I intend to join the armed forces or IAS: Kaamya Karthikeyan, youngest Indian to scale Mount Denali
14-year-old mountaineer, Kaamya Karthikeyan, recently achieved the feat of becoming the youngest Indian to climb Mount Denali. She expresses her joy and shares with us her dreams for the future.
She is young, she is talented and she is spirited. Meet the 14-year-old mountaineer, Kaamya Karthikeyan, who is basking in all the love and accolades that are being showered on her since she has become the youngest Indian to scale Mount Denali summit. With this feat, she has now accomplished five out of the seven total summits!
“I’m more relieved that happy to have successfully climbed Mount Denali, which is one of the toughest of the seven summits,” says Karthikeyan, sharing, “I’m looking forward to celebrate with my family. For me, the best way to celebrate would be coming home to India and binge on the food that my mum cooks. I’ve missed it since the start of this expedition in the United States, and cannot wait to get home!”
For the young athlete, her father who is in the Navy — posted in Mumbai at present — became her inspiration to take up mountaineering as a child. “My dad started going on month-long expeditions to the Himalayas. I was taken by my mother to one such Himalayan trek, and that’s where I fell in love with the high altitude peaks,” she recalls, adding, “We never planned to do the seven summits, but it was more about going for adventure, as a family,”
The tenth grader is efficacious at managing her climbing training alongside schooling. She has in fact instilled interesting regimens that allow her to prepare for the tedious treks, without having to compromise much on her studies. “We live in a 21 storey building, and go up and down the stairs with backpacks on our backs, as a form of training. This has proven to be very effective in helping me build my climbing muscles!”
While Karthikeyan is aware of the recognition that her accomplishments have brought, she continues to lay stress on other facets of her life with the same dedication. “An athlete can focus on their skills or the sport, but at the same time should also give equal importance to academics. I’m also learning Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music, and I love to perform! But when I grow up, I intend to join the armed forces or IAS. I also want to study high altitude medicine since that will help me stay in touch with my passion all through my life.”
Just like any other teenager, she too loves being around her friends and wants them to be a part of her journey. “If possible, I would love to go climbing in the Himalayas with my friends, and have them experience the thrill and excitement of it,” she concludes on a wishful note.
Author Tweets Karan Sethi
