17-year-old becomes youngest woman to conquer Seven Summits Challenge

Kaamya Karthikeyan, a 17-year-old student from Mumbai’s Indian Navy Children’s School, has made history by becoming the youngest woman in the world to conquer the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. Kaamya completed this achievement on December 24, 2024, by reaching the summit of Mount Vinson, Antarctica's highest peak, standing at 16,050 feet. The successful ascent marked the culmination of a seven-year journey that began when Kaamya was just 13 years old.

Kaamya's Seven Summits journey began in October 2017 with the ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. In 2018, she climbed Mount Elbrus in Europe in June and Mount Kosciuszko in Australia in November. In February 2020, she summited Mount Aconcagua in South America. The following year, in June 2022, Kaamya reached the summit of Mount Denali in North America. In May 2023, she achieved a significant milestone by becoming the youngest Indian and the second youngest female to summit Mount Everest. Kaamya's final climb was Mount Vinson in Antarctica, which she completed in December 2024.

In addition to completing the Seven Summits, Kaamya has broken several other records. She became the youngest girl to summit Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America, and the youngest non-American to summit Mount Denali, the highest peak in North America. Kaamya also became the youngest person to ski down from the summit of Mount Elbrus and the youngest ever to climb a peak above 6,000 meters. Her achievements have placed her among the top young mountaineers globally.

Kaamya's mountaineering journey has been supported by numerous sponsors, including corporate and non-governmental organizations, as well as over 180 individuals who contributed to her fundraising efforts, raising approximately Rs 7 lakh for her final climb. She received significant logistical and financial support to make these climbs possible, especially given the challenging and remote locations of some of the peaks. Kaamya’s journey was carefully planned, with extensive training in mountaineering and high-altitude environments, ensuring her safety and preparedness for the extreme conditions she encountered.

The Indian Navy and Kaamya's school have acknowledged her accomplishments. The Navy, in particular, congratulated Kaamya and her father, Commander S Karthikeyan, for their achievement, emphasizing the significance of Kaamya’s success as an example of perseverance and dedication. Kaamya was also honored with the PM Rashtriya Bal Shakti Puraskar, which recognizes outstanding children for their exceptional achievements. Kaamya’s success has garnered attention globally, inspiring young adventurers to pursue their dreams and prove that age is no barrier to achieving extraordinary goals.