5-year-old Punjab boy youngest Asian to conquer Mt Kilimanjaro

Five-year-old Teghbir Singh from Ropar in Punjab has become the youngest ever from Asia to scale the 5,895-metre Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa located in Tanzania.
Teghbir started the climb on August 18 and reached Uhuru peak, the highest point of the mountain, on August 23.
“I knew where I was to reach and finally made it. I have a picture there with my father. I was told to chant ‘Wahe Guru’ when it got difficult on the way. It gave me strength and I was able to reach the summit”, an elated Teghbir said over phone.
The trek needs preparation to tackle altitude sickness. Yet the boy managed to conquer all challenges and fulfilled his dream of reaching the summit, where the temperature was minus 10 degrees Celsius.
After the climb, he received the mountain climbing certificate issued by conservation commissioner of Tanzania National Parks, including Kilimanjaro National Park.
With this, he equals the world record of conquering Mt Kilimanjaro at the age of five by Serbian boy Ognjen Živković on August 6, 2023.
Teghbir attributed his success to his coach, Bikramjit Singh Ghuman, a retired handball coach, and his family.
His father, Sukhinderdeep Singh, who accompanied him, said, “Teghbir started preparing for this feat almost a year ago. He was trained by Ghuman, who coached him with exercises related to increase cardiovascular health and increase lung capacity. He would go on weekly treks with his coach and me to different hilly locations.”
“On the climb to Uhuru peak, Teghbir would walk 8-10km daily. The temperature dropped with every ascent he made. He walked and stayed in a low oxygen altitude in sub zero temperatures for almost a week,” the proud father, who works as an administrator in a hospital, said.
“We stayed in tents and took the Machame Route to reach the summit in six days. Due to bad weather and a fierce snowstorm, the summit push was cancelled as we had to return mid-way,” Sukhinderdeep Singh said.
It was in the second attempt that they could push to the summit amid the fierce snowstorm. It was a challenging climb for Teghbir’s crew, including his father, two guides, and two support staff members.
His mother, Dr Manpreet Kaur, who is a gynaecologist, said, “Diet played a major role in Teghbir’s journey. He followed a strict diet schedule as laid down by his coach.”
In April this year, Teghbir completed the Mount Everest base camp trek.
He will be returning to India on August 30.
Congratulating Teghbir on his achievement, Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav posted on X: “Teghbir’s determination and resilience are an inspiration to us all. May his achievements motivate others to push beyond their limits and strive for greatness.”