Author Hardeep Singh

CHANDIGARH A Punjab based five-year-old Sikh boy Teghbir Singh has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming world’s second youngest to scale Africa’s highest peak Mount Kilimanjaro which is located in Tanzania at a staggering height of more than 19340 ft (5895 Metres).

Singh hails from Ropar town of Punjab. He started the Trek to Mount Kilimanjaro on August 18 and walked all along to reach the Uhuru peak, highest point of the mountain, on 23 August 2024.

Delighted over the pathbreaking achievement, he said over phone, after he received the Mountain Climbing Certificate issued by Conservation Commissioner of Tanzania National Parks including Kilimanjaro National Park, “I knew where I was to reach and finally I reached and had a picture with my father there”.

 He said, “I was told to enchant Waheguru on being tired and I did that. It helped me scale the summit”. 

According to the information, it is a low Oxygen trek and one needs preparation to tackle problems associated with Altitude Sickness. However, conquering all these challenges, he finally reached the summit, normal temperature of which is – 10 Celsius, and fulfilled his dream. 

First youngest boy who made the world record by scaling the peak at five is Serbia boy Ognjen Živković. He conquered the peak in August, 2023. 

“Teghbir started preparing for this feat almost a year back.  He was trained by Mr Bikramjit Singh Ghuman who used to help him with the exercises related to increase Cardiovascular Health and Increase Lung capacity to deal with Altitude Sickness. He used to go on weekly treks with his father and coach to different hilly locations”, said his father Sukhinderdeep Singh, who accompanied him.

He said, “Each day he walked around 8-10 kms and temperatures dropped with every ascent he made. He walked and stayed in a Low Oxygen altitude in a Minus grade temperature for almost a week”. 

He added, “Our stays were in temporary tents and we took the Machame Route to reach the summit in 6 days. Due to bad weather and fierce snowstorm the summit push was cancelled and they had to return mid way back”.

 In the 2nd attempt , they could push to the summit amid the fierce snow storm . It was a challenging moment for the entire crew which consisted of his father, two guides, and two supporting staff. 

Prior to this, Teghbir Singh had just completed his Mount Everest Base camp Trek in April this year.

Singh’s mother Dr Manpreet Kaur is a gynecologist. She said, “Diet played a very major role in his journey and he followed a strict diet schedule as laid by his coach”.