Bhukya Yashwanth from Telangana has impressive climbing achievements under his belt.
Young mountaineer Bhukya Yashwanth never gives up. Be it navigating treacherous mountain terrains, climbing in -22 degree C temperature or hustling for funds to sponsor his expeditions, the 20-year-old does not like to pause. That is why when his plan to conquer Mount Everest came to moot due to paucity of funds, he started on a new adventure — to showcase the beauty of Indian peaks to the world. He plans to go to every state of India and scale its highest peak, and he has started his journey with the north-east part of the country. He recently scaled Manipur’s highest peak Mount Iso. “I want to hoist the tricolour on the highest peak of every state in the country under Har Shikhar Par Tiranga,” he says.
Yashwanth, who hails from a remote village in Mahabubabad district, started his rock climbing journey when he was 16 years old. He got the opportunity to train with Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure and Ecotourism, and learnt from the best. Till now, he has successfully scaled Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa; Mount Elbrus in Europe; and Mount Kosciuszko in Australia, among others.
A difficult mountaineering moment
When asked about a particularly difficult climb, Yashwanth replies that though there were many of them, a certain day on Mount Elbrus was exhausting. “The temperature was -22 degree and snow was falling. I had waited a few days for the weather to change but I couldn’t afford to wait anymore as I had only six days before my visa expired. I had to conquer the summit on the last day or I would be forced to return to India.”
“Climbing in that weather was very difficult. Heavy, icy winds were lashing me. Besides these, I was the only Indian there and my Sherpa didn’t speak much English. I almost wanted to give up, but then I remembered all the people who had believed in me and helped me reach this far. I had immense faith in myself and knew that the weather always changes. Thinking thus, I managed to make summit at night. I had to navigate slippery slopes, bottomless crevices and inclement weather conditions, but I kept reminding myself that if I am climbing with a good heart, nature will be on my side,” he adds.
Future plans
After climbing the highest peaks in NE India, he plans to do the same in the northern and southern parts of the country. “I have successfully summited Mount Gorichen in Arunachal Pradesh, Betalongchhip in Tripura, and now Mount Iso in Manipur. I want to raise awareness about these peaks which even some locals are unaware of. The highest peaks in many states remain hidden and more than climbing, my challenge is to discover a way to them,” explains Yashwanth.
Talking about his Mt Everest dream, he says: “The expedition will cost Rs 45 lakh. I have received help from the government and other sources, and will hopefully realise that dream soon.”
