ANANTAPUR: Nine-year-old Kadapala Rithvika Sri from Anantapur has conquered Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, which is African continent’s highest peak, along with her father and guide. She climbed to Gilman’s Point at 5,681 metres above mean sea level on February 25.
Hailing from M Agraharam village in Tadimarri mandal, Rithvika Sri is a class 2 student of St Vincent De Paul English Medium School of Anantapur. Her father Shankar is a cricket coach and sports coordinator in the Special Olympics Bharat wing of RDT, Anantapur.
She took Level 1 training in mountaineering at Rock Climbing School at Bhongir in Telangana and Level 2 training at Ladakh. “Rithvika Sri took part in the mountaineering expedition with enthusiasm and she could make it in her first attempt,’’ Shankar said.
Shankar, who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro on January 26, 2020, said he approached District Collector Gandham Chandrudu seeking financial assistance for his mountaineering expedition. The Collector released `2.98 lakh from the SC Corporation funds for the expedition, he said. Congratulating Rithvika Sri for her mountaineering feat, Chandrudu said he encouraged the girl as she has talent and commitment.