In May 2025, Vishwanath Karthikey Padakanti, a 16-year-old mountaineer from Hyderabad(Telangana), became the youngest Indian and the second youngest globally to successfully complete the Seven Summits Challenge, which involves climbing the highest peak on each of the seven continents.
- His final ascent was Mount Everest (8,848 meters, m) completed on May 27, 2025, marking the culmination of a journey that began in 2022.
- He surpassed the previous national record held by Kaamya Karthikeyan, who completed the Seven Summits at the age of 17 in 2024.
Note: The global record remains with Jordan Romero from the United States of America (USA), who achieved the feat at the age of 15 years in 2011.
Key Points:
i.Vishwanath Karthikey’s mountaineering journey began at age 11 with a trek to Mount Rudugaira in Uttarakhand.
ii.He successfully summited peaks such as Mount Everest (Asia), Aconcagua (South America), Denali (North America), Mount Elbrus (Europe), Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Kosciuszko (Australia), and Mount Vinson (Antarctica) .
iii.His mentors, Bharath Thammineni and Lt. Romil Barthwal, played a crucial role in his preparation, providing guidance and support throughout his expeditions.
About the Seven Peaks of the Seven Continents:
1.Mount Everest – Asia
Location: Along the Nepal–Tibet (China) border in the Greater Himalayas.
Height: 8,849 metres (m) (29,032 feet) – the highest peak in the world.
Fact: Named Mount Everest in 1865 in honour of Sir George Everest, then Surveyor General of the Survey of India.
2. Mount Denali – North America
Location: Alaska, United States of America (USA).
Height: 6,190 m (20,310 feet).
Fact: Composed of a massive granite block, it is the tallest peak in North America.
3.Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa
Location: Tanzania, Africa.
Height: 5,895 m (19,340 feet) – highest peak in Africa.
Fact: Largest free-standing mountain in the world with three extinct volcanoes: Mawenzi, Kibo (highest), and Shira.
UNESCO Status: Declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.
4.Mount Aconcagua – South America
Location: Argentina, in the Southern Andes Mountains.
Height: 6,961 m (22,838 feet).
Fact: It is the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere.
5. Mount Vinson Massif – Antarctica
Location: Ellsworth Mountains, Sentinel Range, western Antarctica.
Height: 4,892 m (16,050 feet).
Fact: Lies around 1,200 kilometer (km) from the South Pole, making it one of the coldest and remotest summits.
6. Mount Kosciuszko – Australia
Location: Snowy Mountains, New South Wales, Australia.
Height: 2,228 m (7,310 feet).
Fact: Named after Tadeusz Kościuszko, a Polish statesman, by explorer Paul Strzelecki in 1840.
7. Mount Elbrus – Europe
Location: Caucasus Mountain Range, Russia.
Height: 5,642 m (18,510 feet).
Fact: An extinct volcanic mountain with twin volcanic cones, the taller being the summit.
