Mumbai girl youngest in the world to climb South America's highest peak

At 6962 metres, Mt. Aconcagua is the highest peak outside Asia.

Karthikeyan, who is the daughter of a Naval officer, summited the 6962 meters tall Argentinian mountain peak on February 1, 2020 and unfurled the tricolour.

Officials in the Navy said she achieved this following years of physical and mental preparation and regular participation in adventure sports.

The young girl overcame many administrative hurdles and extreme climbing conditions to achieve this rare feat.

Karthikeyan has already scaled the highest peaks in Africa, Europe, and Australia in the past, including two peaks with heights of over 6000 meters above the sea level.

In August, last year, she summitted Mt Mentok Kangri II, a 6,262 metres (20,544 feet) peak that overlooks the Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.

Image credit: Twitter/indiannavy

As a child, Kaamya had developed a deep passion for mountaineering as she listened to her father's stories of Himalayan-scaling expeditions.

Initially, she started with basic treks in Lonavala, (Pune) at the age of three, and by nine, she had completed several high-altitude Himalayan treks with her parents including Roopkund (5,020 metres) in Uttarakhand.

By next year (2021), she aims to complete the exclusive 'Explorers Grand Slam' - which involves the competitors to climb the tallest mountains in all continents besides skiing on the North Pole and South Pole - that has been achieved by just a handful of dare-devil adventurers on Earth.

Image credit: Twitter/indiannavy