At 9, Kadapala Rithvika Sri Is The Youngest Indian From Andhra To Climb Mt Kilimanjaro

A nine-year-old from Andhra Pradesh has managed to conquer Africa's highest peak. Kadapala Rithvika Sri from Anantapur climbed Mount Kilimanjaro on February 25, as per reports.

Class 2 student climbed 5,681 metres above sea level

Rithvika conquered Mount Kilimanjaro along with her father Kadapala Sankar who is also her guide. Sankar, a cricket coach for special Olympics, had scaled the mountain in Tanzania on January 24 last year.

ANI

The Class 2 student climbed to Gilman's Point at 5,681 metres above mean sea level and by completing this feat, Rithvika has become one of the youngest persons to scale the mountain, which is located in Tanzania.

Mt Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano and the highest single free-standing mountain in the world at 19,340 feet. Gilman's Point is one of the three summit points of Mt Kilimanjaro. Climbers who manage to reach this point receive the official Kilimanjaro climbing certificate.

Rs 3 lakh released for her expedition

District Collector Gandham Chandrudu helped her by releasing Rs 2,98,835 from the SC Corporation for her expedition on February 1. Chandrudru congratulated the young girl for achieving the feat.

Twitter

"Congratulations to Ritwika Sree of Ananthapur for becoming the world¡¯s second youngest & Asia¡¯s youngest girl to scale Mt Kilimanjaro. You have grabbed the opportunities despite many odds.Keep inspiring," the collector posted on Twitter while sharing pictures of Rithvika on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Congratulations to Ritwika Sree of Ananthapur for becoming the world¡¯s second youngest& Asia¡¯s youngest girl to scale Mt Kilimanjaro. You have grabbed the opportunities despite many odds.Keep inspiring@ysjagan #APGovtSupports#AndhraPradeshCM#PowerofGirlChild pic.twitter.com/Xu8LZw8OVz

¡ª Gandham Chandrudu IAS (@ChandruduIAS) February 28, 2021

Rithvika participated in Level 1 training at the Rock Climbing School in Telangana and Level 2 training in Ladakh before embarking on the quest to conquer Kilimanjaro.

ANI

Rithvika's father Sankar, is a cricket coach and sports coordinator in the Special Olympics Bharat wing of Rural Development Trust, Anantapur. "Rithvika Sri took part in the mountaineering expedition with enthusiasm and she could make it in her first attempt," her father said.

but also spread awareness about RDT's India for India programme which supports the education of orphan children.

Last year, Shankar scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro and did the same, so it is heartwarming to see Rithvika follow her father's footsteps (2/3) pic.twitter.com/zKimJy9bni

¡ª Rural Development Trust (RDT) (@RDT_anantapur) February 28, 2021

Youngest mountaineer scaled peak at age 7

In 2018, Samnanyu Pothuraju became the youngest mountaineer in the world to scale the Uhuru peak of Mount Kilimanjaro at the age of seven.

Samnanyu's mother Lavanya, coach Thammineni Bharath, a fellow mountaineer Shangabandi Srujana, and a local Tanzania doctor had accompanied him. "The day was rainy and the road was full of stones. I got afraid, I had leg pains, but I took rest and completed it," Samnanyu had told ANI.