THE SONG OF FIERY PASSION AND ICY PEAKS

HAT drives a teenager to conquer the icy peaks of Antarctica? For Padakanti Vishwanath Karthikey, it's a passion ignited by sibling rivalry. At 16, he's already scaled some of the world's most challenging mountains, and his story is far from over. On December 3, he became the youngest Indian to summit Mount Vinson, Antarctica's highest peak at 16,050 feet, as part of a Boots and Crampons-Elite Exped team led by renowned British mountaineer Nirmal Purja.

- Khyati Shah @Hyderabad

On Independence Day in 2022, he became the youngest Indian to summit Mount Elbrus, Europe's highest peak, from its eastern and western sides within 24 hours.

Speaking to TNIE, Karthikey admits, "The climb to Mount Vinson was not easy. Temperatures plummeted to -40°C, and the terrain tested every ounce of my endurance. Months of rigorous training and my family's support kept me going," he shares.

Shedding light on the 16-year-old's preparations, his mentor, Bharat Thammineni, who also leads Boots and Crampons, says, "Karthikey left Hyderabad on November 21 and reached Punta Arenas, Chile, on November 22. After thorough preparation and briefings, the team flew to Union Glacier Camp in Antarctica on November 25. From there, they acclimatised and advanced to the Vinson Massif base camp before climbing the summit," he shares.