Meet Kaamya Karthikeyan: 16-Years-Old Becomes Youngest Indian To Summit Mount Everest

Kaamya Karthikeyan has proved that bravery knows no age. At 16, she became the youngest Indian to summit the highest peak in the world - Mount Everest (8,849 meters) from the Nepal side.

A record was set in India by the teen, who also became the world's second-youngest mountaineer to scale Everest on May 20, the Indian Navy said on Thursday.

Who is Kaamya Karthikeyan?

Kaamya Karthikeyan proved that bravery knows no age. At 16, she became the youngest Indian to summit the highest peak in the world - Mount Everest (8,849 meters) from the Nepal side. Not only did the teen set a record in India, but she also became the world's second-youngest mountaineer to scale Everest on May 20, the Indian Navy reported on Thursday.

Accompanied by her father, Indian Navy officer Commander S. Karthikeyan, Kaamya embarked on her remarkable expedition. From her humble beginnings in Mumbai to the world's highest peak, here's a look at Kaamya Karthikeyan's journey.

Sixteen-year-old Kaamya is a Class 12 student at Mumbai's Navy Children School. Inspired by her father's love for mountaineering, she began trekking at the age of three. What started as an adventure soon led her to more demanding treks, including Har-ki-Dun (13,500 ft), Kedarkantha Peak (13,500 ft), and Roopkund Lake (16,400 ft) in 2016. By May 2017, at just 13, Kaamya had trekked to the Everest Base Camp (17,600 ft), making her the second-youngest girl globally to achieve this milestone.

In 2019, Kaamya successfully navigated challenges to conquer the famous Brighu Lake (14,100 ft) and cross the Sar Pass (13,850 ft) in Himachal Pradesh. Soon after her expedition to Mt. Mentok Kangri II (20,544 ft), Kaamya cycled from Leh to Khardung La, the highest motorable road in the world. This experience bolstered her confidence to summit Mount Aconcagua, one of the highest peaks outside Asia, in February 2020.

Following her successful expedition to Everest, the Indian Navy and Western Naval Command took to social media to congratulate her and wish her luck for her next mission, the "7 Summits Challenge." The Indian Navy wrote, "#IndianNavy wishes young Kaamya the very best in her aspiration to summit the highest peaks of all seven continents, becoming the youngest girl to do so."

Kaamya's next goal is to scale Mount Vinson Massif in Antarctica this December, aiming to become the youngest girl to summit the highest peaks of all seven continents. With her Everest climb, she has already scaled six peaks as part of the challenge.

Kaamya's stirring tale of courage, determination, and relentless pursuit of dreams earned her the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar in 2021 and a feature on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popular radio show "Mann Ki Baat."

Beyond mountaineering, Kaamya's achievements extend to the realm of fine arts. The 16-year-old is a trained musician, having passed Grade 5 in piano and Grade 2 in guitar from the Trinity School of Music. Additionally, she has expertise in Western and Carnatic vocals, as well as Bharatanatyam dance, according to Kids Chaupal.