28-05-2025
Bank Clerk Becomes First From Haryana To Summit Mount Kanchenjunga
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Sunil Kumar Rohilla from Haryana summited Kanchenjunga, becoming the first from his state to conquer five peaks above 8,000 metres.
In a feat that elevated the spirit of an entire state, Sunil Kumar Rohilla from Haryana has carved his name into mountaineering history by summiting Kanchenjunga, the third-highest peak in the world and the highest in the country. Rohilla, a modest bank clerk in Rasulpur village in Karnal, climbed the 8,586 metre-high mountain, becoming the first mountaineer from his state to conquer five peaks above 8,000 metres. Not only did he reach the summit's peak but also unfurled the tricolour upon reaching it.
'This was a dream I've seen for years," said Rohilla, upon returning home on June 25 last year after a gruelling two-month expedition. His journey began on April 22, and it marked more than just a physical challenge, it was a test of mental endurance, willpower, and his lifelong commitment to mountaineering.
The climb was far from easy. 'Kanchenjunga is extremely difficult," he explained. The terrain is treacherous and the oxygen levels are dangerously low. Weather can change without warning. I attempted it last year but had to turn back due to severe conditions, he said.
This time, with the support of the Indian Army and an international expedition team, and aided by more favourable weather, he triumphed.
Rohilla began his mountaineering journey in 2015. Over the past nine years, he has relentlessly scaled some of the most dangerous peaks in the world, including Mount Everest (8,848 metres), Mount Lhotse (8,516 metres), and Mount Manaslu (8,163 metres). Just a month before his Kanchenjunga success, he summited Annapurna I (8,091 metres), often cited as one of the deadliest peaks due to its fatal weather patterns and avalanche risks.
With five 8000ers now under his belt, Rohilla is not stopping anytime soon. He has already set his sights on two more of Nepal's giants: Mount Makalu (8,485 metres), the fifth-highest mountain on Earth, and Mount Dhaulagiri (8,167 metres), ranked seventh.
His journey from the flatlands of Haryana to the icy heights of the Himalayas is not just a personal victory but a beacon of hope and inspiration. 'He has shown us what passion and perseverance can do," said Ravi Kumar, a close friend. To rise from a small village and stand atop the world's tallest peaks is no small feat. Sunil has become a symbol of what rural people can aspire to, Kumar added.
First Published:
May 28, 2025, 16:30 IST
