India: 13-year-old boy scales up two mountain peaks in Ladakh

Setting a new record globally, Vishwanath Karthikey, a 13-year-old boy from Hyderabad, has managed to climb the Kang Yatse and Dzo Jongo mountain ranges located in the Markha Valley, Ladakh.

"I started trekking to Kang Yatse and Dzo Jongo on 9th July, and ended it on 22nd July. The journey from base camp to the summit, when we reached the crampon point was not so easy. It is because, at higher altitudes, the air pressure decreases. However, I did not give up and the first feeling was a memorable one. I remembered the hard work I had put in to achieve this feat and now it has come true," he said, to ANI.

"During the summit push, I faced a lot of breathing problems due to a lack of moisture in the air. During the summit push at Dzo Jongo, my mouth got dried, and walking for long stretches made me tired and hungry," he explained.

The class 9 student also highlighted that before this trek, he went through several failures in life. He couldn't complete his treks on Mount Rudugaira in Uttarakhand, and Mount Elbrus in Russia. However, he pointed out that these unsuccessful attempts were really just a blessing in disguise.

Inspired by his sister, who is a fitness enthusiast and enjoys trekking, he too developed an interest in these.

"My first expedition was Mount Rudugaira, where I couldn't even reach the basecamp of the mountain. Later, I went to NIM (Nehru Institute of Mountaineering) for 10 days for training and I failed there also. Again, I got trained for climbing up Mount Elbrus and was unsuccessful. However, with constant practice and proper fitness training, I completed my trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC) in Nepal and Friendship peak in Manali," the teenager said.

The student thanked his mentors, Bharath and Romil, for helping him complete this trek.

"My coaches Sai Teja, Chaitanya, Prashant trained me for attaining strength and cardio training… My diet was prepared by my mother, which was very nutritious and tasty. It included adequate fats, carbohydrates, vegetables, and vitamins. Now my present goal is to climb Mt. Everest and the 'Seven summits'," he said, adding that he aspired to join the armed forces.

Lakshmi, Karthikey's mother, said to ANI that she was very happy with his choices:

"I was very scared to even cross the road but when my son reached such a height, I felt proud of him and my words cannot describe my emotions. We used to wake him up at 5 am and take him to the gym. He used to come back home after training, and would go to school."

"Now, I can see my brother is able to achieve his goals. His efforts are seen. He has grown as a person and matured a lot," added Vaishnavi, Karthikey's sister.

According to Bharath, Karthikey's coach, the boy had failed many times, but persisted, thus changing his situation for the better.

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