Not a joke, says India's youngest Everest climber

Prerana Marasini

Arjun Bajpayee speaking to the students of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kathmandu.

KATHMANDU: The youngest Indian to climb the world’s highest peak says it was his dream to become a world-class mountaineer that drove him to Mount Everest.

Sixteen-year-old Arjun Bajpayee from Noida made a successful ascent on the Everest a week ago. Sharing his experience with the students of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kathmandu, Arjun said, “The Everest is not a joke,” adding that he had a lot of difficulties while ascending and descending the mountain.

“My oxygen mask was frozen because of the cold,” he told the students who listened to him patiently, “and I thought I would die.” He overcame the situation by sheer willpower: “I started speaking to myself — one more step.”

Arjun felt dizzy, but his Sherpa guide took care of him. In the mountain, he had a lot of headaches and backaches because of sleeping on the ice and the cold winds. However, he was very happy to be on top of the world, from where he saw “the sun coming from down.”

Arjun is a Class XII student, who took a professional mountaineering course two years ago. He plays football, basketball and practises martial arts. He is a national-level karate and taekwondo player. How does he manage all these? “Well, I do less of studies and more of play,” he told The Hindu with a smile.

Arjun was part of the expedition which included world-famous mountaineer Apa Sherpa, who has climbed the Everest not two or three, but 20 times. “Every climber would want to climb with him,” Arjun told The Hindu.

Apa recently broke his own record by climbing the Everest the 20th time.

Arjun on Romero

Arjun is also fascinated by the achievement of 13-year-old American Jordan Romero, the youngest person in the world to climb the Everest. “He has done a commendable job. I wouldn’t have dared at that age.”

About his future plans, Arjun says he wants to climb the 14 tallest peaks of the world.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood felicitated Arjun and said it was a magnificent achievement.

Mr. Sood hoped that Arjun would come to Nepal again. After spending two months in Nepal, Arjun will return to India on Monday.

Reference Link: http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/30/stories/2010053057262000.htm

Courtesy : The Hindu

Jordan Romero, 13, 'becomes youngest to scale Everest'

Jordan Romero was due to do some school work during his trip

A 13-year-old American boy has become the youngest person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, his family says.

Jordan Romero, from California, telephoned his mother from the peak of the world’s highest mountain, she said.

“Mom, I’m calling you from the top of the world,” Leigh Anne Drake quoted her son as saying.

He was climbing with his father and three Sherpa guides. The previous record was held by a Nepalese boy of 16.

The 13-year-old has now conquered the highest mountains on six of the world’s seven continents.

JORDAN’S SUMMITS

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• Africa – Kilimanjaro: 2006
• Europe – Elbrus: 2007
• South America – Aconcagua: 2007
• North America – Denali: 2008
• Oceania – Carstensz Pyramid: 2009
• Everest – Asia: 2010

He climbed Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro aged 10. He just needs to scale the Vinson Massif in Antarctica.

He has also scaled Mount Kosciuszko in Australia.

The team set off from Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, last month, heading for the base camp on the Chinese side of the mountain.

While Nepal insists that anyone planning to climb Mount Everest must be 16, China does not impose any age restrictions.

Some mountaineers have criticised the Romero family for letting him attempt the feat but his father said the ascent from the Chinese side is less dangerous, the AFP news agency reports.

Last month, his mother told the BBC he would do some school work during the trip.

Also on Saturday, Apa Sherpa, 50, climbed Everest for the 20th time, surpassing his own record.

Reference Link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10141547.stm

Courtesy
The BBC