Visakhapatnam: In a historic achievement, Bharath Thammineni, a 36-year-old mountaineer from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, has become the first Indian to climb all nine of the world’s 14 highest mountains, after successfully summiting Mt Cho Oyu (8,188 m) — the world’s sixth-highest peak — on Tuesday.
According to sources close to the climber, Thammineni reached the Cho Oyu base camp in China on September 30, but was forced to halt his initial attempt due to severe weather and heavy snowfall. After days of waiting, he made a final push on October 12, reaching the summit at 6:55 a.m. China time (8:55 a.m. IST). Speaking to his friends in India after his descent to the summit camp, he shared his joy and relief at completing the challenging expedition.
Before this latest feat, Thammineni had scaled several other 8,000-metre-plus peaks, including Mt Everest (2017), Mt Manaslu (2018), Mt Lhotse (2019), Mt Annapurna (March 2022), Mt Kanchenjunga (April 2022), Mt Makalu (May 2023), Mt Shishapangma (October 2024), and Mt Dhaulagiri (April 2025). With Cho Oyu added to his record, he now stands among a select few global climbers who have conquered nine of the fourteen 8,000-metre summits.
Of the remaining five peaks — Mt K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II, and Broad Peak — all are located in Pakistan, making them inaccessible to Indian climbers due to current restrictions.
Thammineni’s latest triumph marks a milestone not just in Indian mountaineering but in the nation’s adventure sports history. His persistence in the face of extreme weather and his consistent record across the world’s toughest peaks have earned him praise from the climbing community.
