Arjun Vajpai, India’s first professional mountaineer, is set to climb Shishapangma, the 14th highest mountain in the world, located in China. During a press conference held in Kathmandu, Vajpai announced that he would be leaving for the expedition on Monday. If successful, Vajpai will become the first Indian mountaineer to summit all eight thousanders—mountains over 8,000 meters in height.
Vajpai will be climbing Shishapangma with Seven Summit Treks, a renowned expedition company. So far, he has successfully summited seven out of the fourteen highest peaks in the world, including Everest, Lhotse, Manaslu, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Kangchenjunga, and Annapurna.
Having completed 16 expeditions, Arjun Vajpai is the only Indian to have undertaken this many climbs. He is now on the verge of making history for India by becoming the first Indian to conquer all the world’s 8,000-meter peaks.
In addition to this, Vajpai holds a Guinness World Record for being the youngest climber to summit two eight-thousanders. He scaled Everest in 2010 at the age of 16 years and 11 months, and Lhotse in 2011 at just 17 years old.
Here is a timeline of Arjun Vajpai’s successful climbs:
- Everest (2010)
- Lhotse (2011)
- Manaslu (2011)
- Makalu (2016)
- Cho Oyu (2016)
- Kangchenjunga (2018)
- Annapurna (2023)
Arjun’s ultimate goal is to become the first Indian to conquer all fourteen eight-thousanders, and Shishapangma marks his final challenge on this remarkable journey.
