Meet Kaamya Karthikeyan, Indian teen who conquered world’s 7 highest peaks

Kaamya Karthikeyan, a Class 12 student from Navy Children School, Mumbai, has etched her name in history as the youngest female ever to scale the seven highest peaks across seven continents.

This 17-year-old mountaineering prodigy completed her extraordinary feat on December 24, when she reached the summit of Mount Vinson in Antarctica. Accompanied by her father, Commander S. Karthikeyan, she achieved this milestone at 5:20 PM Chilean Standard Time, marking the culmination of a journey spanning some of the most formidable landscapes on Earth.

Kaamya’s record-breaking adventure includes summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mt. Elbrus in Europe, Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia, Mt. Aconcagua in South America, Mt. Denali in North America, and Mt. Everest in Asia, which she conquered at just 16. Her Antarctic victory now completes the prestigious Seven Summits Challenge.

The Indian Navy, her school, and countless admirers took to social media to celebrate this awe-inspiring achievement. The Navy Spokesperson on X lauded her as “a history-maker,” while Navy Children School Mumbai called her accomplishment “a moment of immense pride.”

Kaamya’s passion for adventure began early, with her first trek in Uttarakhand at the age of seven. Since then, her resilience and dedication have propelled her to unprecedented heights. She is no stranger to accolades, having been honored with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Shakti Puraskar in 2021 and receiving personal praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Mann Ki Baat address.

Reflecting on her Antarctic climb, Kaamya described the grueling conditions of Mt. Vinson Massif—16,050 feet of icy terrain, temperatures plunging to -40°C, and winds of staggering speeds. Yet, she saw it as the ultimate test of her perseverance. “Summiting Mt. Vinson Massif is the befitting climax of a dream I’ve pursued for years. It’s the culmination of my journey across the seven continents,” she shared.