Five-year-old Teghbir Singh from Ropar in Punjab has become the youngest ever from Asia to scale the 19,340 feet Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa located in Tanzania.
“I knew where I was supposed to go and finally made it. I have a picture with my father at the summit. When it got tough, I chanted ‘Wahe Guru,’ which gave me strength to reach the top,” Teghbir said in a phone interview.
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Despite the challenges of altitude sickness, Teghbir persevered, achieving his goal amid temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. After the climb, he received a certificate from the conservation commissioner of Tanzania National Parks, including Kilimanjaro National Park.
Teghbir’s achievement matches the world record for conquering Mount Kilimanjaro at age 5, previously set by Serbian boy Ognjen Živković on Aug. 6, 2023.
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He credited his success to his coach, Bikramjit Singh Ghuman, a retired handball coach, and his family. “Teghbir started preparing for this feat almost a year ago,” said his father, Sukhinderdeep Singh, an administrator at a hospital. “He was trained by Ghuman with exercises to improve cardiovascular health and lung capacity. We did weekly treks to various hilly locations.”
During the climb, Teghbir walked five to six-a-half miles daily as temperatures dropped with each ascent. He spent nearly a week in sub-zero temperatures and low oxygen conditions. The family used the Machame Route, but the initial summit attempt was thwarted by bad weather and a snowstorm, requiring a return midway. They successfully reached the summit on their second attempt despite the severe conditions.
Teghbir’s mother, Dr. Manpreet Kaur, a gynecologist, emphasized the importance of diet in the journey. “Teghbir followed a strict diet as outlined by his coach,” she said.
Earlier this year, Teghbir completed the Mount Everest base camp trek.