Indian kids hoist flag at Mount Everest base camp

Kathmandu: The two Indian siblings, who successfully reached the base camp of the world’s highest peak Mount Everest, becoming the youngest climbers to reach the destination, on Saturday said the experience was “very exciting”.

Five-year-old Kandarp Sharma and eight-year-old Ritwika successfully reached the base camp situated at an altitude of 5,380 mt in Nepal on Monday.

“We saw snow falling from the mountain there and also saw the Everest which was very close from us.” The siblings reached the base camp of the 8,848-metre peak accompanied by their parents.

After reaching Kalapatthar, the children had chanted ‘Bharat Maata Ki Jay’ and hoisted the tri-colour. First-grader Kandarp and fourth-grader Ritvika are students of Little Angels High School in Gwalior in MP. Sharad Pradhan, media consultant of the Nepal Tourism Board, said the two Indian children have not only shown their love for mountains, but have also helped in promoting tourism at a time when the country suffers in the aftermath of the earthquake in April.