CHENNAI: Satyarup Siddhanta is shy and unassuming at first. But as we speak to him, we realise that his grit, determination, will power and sheer belief in his dreams can move mountains — whether it was his fight with asthma, raising funds to make his mountaineering dreams a reality or scaling the highest peaks in the world under the most challenging conditions.
The 35-year-old is the youngest in the world to climb the Seven Summits — The Messner version — Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Vinson, Elbrus, Puncak Jaya; Bass version — Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Vinson, Elbrus, and Kosciuszko, and the Volcanic Seven Summits — Kilimanjaro, Ojos del Salado, Pico de Orizaba, Giluwe, Elbrus, Damavand and Mount Sidley. He is all set to go on his next expedition to the North Pole in April this year.
Satyarup was introduced to mountaineering when he saw pictures of his team leader’s trekking experience. Owing to his asthmatic condition, he was initially skeptical about taking the leap. But, after being reassured by his team leader, and mustering some courage, he went on his first trek to Pachaimalai Hills in 2008.
“I felt liberated and at peace. I enjoyed the experience so much and funnily enough, I never needed to use my inhaler even once! After that experience, I was hooked onto adventure-based activities. I even learned horse riding during that phase,” shares Satyarup. But the turning point, he says was when he was at the Everest base camp in 2010. “I saw Mount Everest for the first time. It was breathtaking and made me want to do more research about it,” he recalls.
He knew nothing at the time about mountaineering. It was during the course of this research that he realised it was an expensive affair to scale the Everest. Soon after, he enrolled for a mountaineering course in Darjeeling.
In 2015, after gathering funds from his parents, brother, friends, crowd-funding sources, and even working two jobs to pay off his loans, he was all set for the Everest expedition. But, the expedition was unexpectedly canceled due to a catastrophic avalanche. In a moment, he lost all his money but, he clung onto hope.
“In 2016, I scaled the Mount Everest. But on the very same day, I lost three friends who were on another team. One of the scariest moments was when I saw a sherpa fall to his death right before my eyes. In mountaineering, you have to be alert because one wrong step can cost your life,” he shares.
As someone whose mind is constantly ticking, he knew that he wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. So, he began reading up and learned that it was part of the Seven Summits. “I began exploring more and thought, ‘What would be better than climbing the highest mountains in each continent?’ Just as that thought struck me, I started laughing at my own dreams. But, I don’t give up easily. That is possibly why I managed to climb all Seven Summits and also the highest volcano in the world,” says Satyarup who finished climbing the Volcanic Seven Summits in January.
Even with his latest expedition, it is not just about scaling these peaks but working for something larger. Satyarup has tied up with IIT-Kanpur to take readings for research on global warming and collect samples of the ice.
“I want my climbs to be helpful to society. I want to raise awareness about global warming because I truly believe that if we do not take action now, the next generation will suffer. I also find great joy and pride in flying the Indian flag in the remotest corners of the world,” he says.
However, there is still a looming concern about the funding for the trip. While his family and friends have pitched in and other sources have come forward, the entire cost of the trip is `35 lakhs and he has managed to collect `25 lakhs.
“While the excitement of the trip is certainly one part, there is a lot of anxiety about whether or not I will be able to gather the funds to go on the expedition,” he shares.
Through his expeditions, he wants to inspire people to face their fears and break free from self-limiting beliefs that cripple them. “I want to instill confidence in millions of young people suffering from asthma about ridding themselves of the disease and leading a normal life. Everything is possible if you believe,” he says.
To donate or sponsor, call 9886002630