{"id":43916,"date":"2025-10-08T07:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T01:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalindian.com\/youth\/?post_type=story&p=43916"},"modified":"2025-10-08T01:38:26","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T20:08:26","slug":"vishwanath-karthikey-padakanti-the-youngest-indian-to-conquer-the-seven-summits","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/old.globalindian.com\/youth\/story\/cover-story\/vishwanath-karthikey-padakanti-the-youngest-indian-to-conquer-the-seven-summits\/","title":{"rendered":"Vishwanath Karthikey Padakanti: The youngest Indian to conquer the Seven Summits"},"content":{"rendered":"

(October 8, 2025) <\/strong>The extreme weather conditions and deadly crevasses kept challenging him; relentless physical exhaustion and homesickness tempted him to back down. But mountaineer Vishwanath Karthikey Padakanti simply wouldn\u2019t give up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having trained hard, he battled every obstacle and stayed focused on his target \u2014 the summit of Mount Everest. Eventually, the gutsy youngster made it to the top of the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once a lazy kid for whom health was never a priority, 16-year-old Vishwanath became the youngest Indian and the second youngest in the world to complete the legendary Seven Summits Challenge, scaling the highest peak on each continent. The feat ranks among the most prestigious in global mountaineering.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMount Everest had the biggest impact on me among the seven. Once I reached the summit, all the difficulties I faced felt overshadowed by that achievement. It made me realize how much resilience I truly have,\u201d smiles Vishwanath, in a chat with <\/span>Global Indian<\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"Vishwanath

World record holder<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Seven Summits<\/a> include: Mt. Everest (Asia), Mt. Aconcagua (South America), Mt. Denali (North America), Mt. Elbrus (Europe), Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mt. Kosciuszko (Australia), and Mt. Vinson (Antarctica). This recent achievement added yet another feather to his cap. However, the\u00a0 Hyderabad teenager already holds three world records.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCompleting the Seven Summits is a dream come true. It tested me physically, emotionally, and mentally,\u201d says Vishwanath, who also became the youngest person to summit Europe\u2019s highest peak, Mt. Elbrus, in just 24 hours \u2014 a feat he achieved on India\u2019s 75th Independence Day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Everest: The toughest test<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cI faced so many struggles like lack of food and water, health issues, and homesickness,\u201d recalls Vishwanath while talking about his Everest climb. His final ascent came on May 27 this year, when he summited Mount Everest (8,848 m) after weeks of gruelling climbing.<\/span><\/p>\n

He says each of the seven peaks posed different challenges \u2014 from terrain to weather conditions. \u201cBut comparatively, Mount Everest was the toughest. It\u2019s the longest and most demanding, and on top of that, I struggled with homesickness during the expedition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Vishwanath

Training for each peak\u2019s specific requirements<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The teenager says his training changed depending on the mountain he was preparing for. <\/span>\u201cSome climbs required more strength training, while others needed endurance, cardio, or weight training. I tailored my workouts to each peak\u2019s specific requirements,\u201d he explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

He credits his mentors Bharath and Lt. Col. Romil Barthwal for his success. \u201cThey\u2019ve been extremely important in my journey. Their constant motivation, guidance, and support helped me bring out the best version of myself on and off the mountains.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Overcoming obstacles<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sharing some of the most difficult moments from his Seven Summits journey, Vishwanath says crossing crevasses and climbing blue ice were among the scariest parts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI overcame those moments by looking to my mentors. They gave me courage and confidence when I needed it most. Mountains are harsh places, and being prepared to face difficulties was part of the journey,\u201d says the young mountaineer, who ensured he had the right gear for every climb.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister leads the way<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Vishwanath\u2019s mountaineering journey began at the age of 11. One day, his sister Vaishnavi was browsing online when she discovered mountaineering and shared it with their mother, who soon arranged a trek for both children to Mt. Rudugaira in Uttarakhand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vishwanath trekked till the first camp but had to return due to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Nonetheless, that experience turned his life around and sparked his passion for mountaineering.<\/span><\/p>\n

After his first climb, Vishwanath joined the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) for a 10-day basic adventure course, which deepened his interest further. It was there that he first experienced jumaring, rock climbing, and rappelling. \u201cI built the mental discipline required for high-altitude climbs,\u201d he mentions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Vishwanath

Conquering Mt. Denali<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Last year, Vishwanath climbed Mt. Denali, the highest peak in North America, standing at over 20,000 feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

He began the expedition on June 10, reached Anchorage the next day, and shopped for essentials. \u201cWe took the West Buttress route,\u201d recalls the teenager, who reached base camp by June 15.<\/span><\/p>\n

From there, he climbed for 4\u20136 hours a day, reaching Camp 1 where he and other mountaineers pitched tents, cooked, and melted ice for water. \u201cWe stashed non-essential items in the snow and marked the spot so we wouldn\u2019t lose them. The next day, we climbed for another eight hours,\u201d says Vishwanath, who reached the summit by June 24.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mt. Elbrus: A special victory<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The journey began with two months of rigorous training as Vishwanath prepared to climb Mt. Elbrus in 2022. In his first attempt, he had to return from the lower camps, but on his second attempt, he triumphed, summiting the peak on India\u2019s 75th Independence Day.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a wonderful experience. I met many new people, my cousin accompanied me, and there were two more climbers my age,\u201d he recalls. However, the team faced terrible weather with wind speeds of 40\u201350 km\/hr and temperatures of -30\u00b0C. \u201cWe weathered these conditions and reached the summit,\u201d recalls Vishwanath.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kang Yatse and beyond<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Within 15 days of that climb, Vishwanath went on to summit Mt. Kang Yatse II and Mt. Dzo Jongo, both over 6,000 meters. \u201cI became the youngest person to do it within 72 hours,\u201d says the student of Resonance Suchitra Campus, beaming with pride.<\/span><\/p>\n

The following year, he climbed Mt. Kang Yatse I, and again became the youngest to do so. He is also the youngest Asian to climb Island Peak in Nepal. <\/span>\u201cMountaineering has completely changed me. It taught me the value of consistency, discipline, and focus,\u201d he remarks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Vishwanath_Padakanti\"

The Hyderabad boy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Born in 2008 at Hyderabad, Vishwanath studied at DRS Kids till LKG and then at St. Peter\u2019s High School, Bowenpally, where he completed Class 10. \u201cI used to be a below-average student. Once I started mountaineering, my scores increased immensely,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

The youngster mentions that mountaineering is not just his journey\u2014it\u2019s his family\u2019s too. \u201cEveryone at home started eating healthy so I wouldn\u2019t get distracted. Financially and emotionally, they\u2019ve made many sacrifices to help me chase this dream,\u201d says Vishwanath, who has also climbed Friendship Peak in Himachal Pradesh, Dzo Jongo in Ladakh, Nangkartshang Peak, Kilimanjaro in Africa, and Tereskol in Russia.<\/span><\/p>\n

Discipline and daily routine<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The teenager is up by 4:30 a.m. every day and heads straight to the gym. \u201cI go directly to college from the gym. In the evening, I study for about two hours and go to bed by 10 p.m.,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

When preparing for an expedition, he alternates between 5 km and 10 km runs daily during the final month. <\/span>Outside training, he enjoys waveboarding, skating, and playing games with friends. \u201cI don\u2019t watch TV every day. I like listening to Arijit Singh songs and 2000\u20132010 hits,\u201d says Vishwanath, who also enjoys public speaking to motivate others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aspirations of life<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u201cI want to focus on climbing technical peaks to further develop my mountaineering skills and push my limits beyond the Seven Summits.\u201d <\/span>He also intends to support environmental and sustainability causes. \u201cMountains have given me so much, and I feel it\u2019s important to protect nature and spread awareness about keeping our environment clean.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Vishwanath believes mountaineering in India has huge potential. \u201cMany young people are interested, but they don\u2019t always get the right exposure or guidance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Vishwanath

 <\/p>\n

Vishwanath hopes to inspire and mentor aspiring mountaineers by sharing his experiences and proving that with discipline and focus, they too can achieve great heights.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStay focused, disciplined, and take one step at a time. Don\u2019t try to do everything at once\u2014consistency is the key to big achievements,\u201d says the young mountaineer, who also enjoys various sports and has stood second in state-level weightlifting and third in powerlifting competitions.<\/span><\/p>\n

ALSO READ: Teen mountaineer Kaamya Karthikeyan becomes youngest to conquer Everest<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(October 8, 2025) The extreme weather conditions and deadly crevasses kept challenging him; relentless physical exhaustion and homesickness tempted him to back down. But mountaineer Vishwanath Karthikey Padakanti simply wouldn\u2019t give up. Having trained hard, he battled every obstacle and stayed focused on his target \u2014 the summit of Mount Everest. Eventually, the gutsy youngster made it to the top of the world. Once a lazy kid for whom health was never a priority, 16-year-old Vishwanath became the youngest Indian and the second youngest in the world to complete the legendary Seven Summits Challenge, scaling the highest peak on each […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":43918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","story-category":[215,2399],"story-tag":[2333,9552,6555],"yoast_head":"\nVishwanath Padakanti: Youngest Indian to conquer Seven Summits<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"16-year-old Vishwanath became the youngest Indian and the second youngest in the world to complete the legendary Seven Summits Challenge.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/old.globalindian.com\/youth\/story\/cover-story\/vishwanath-karthikey-padakanti-the-youngest-indian-to-conquer-the-seven-summits\/\" \/>\n<meta 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