Youth Icon of India:Ashirbad Mahapatra(Anup).
Cuttack: Young mountaineer Ashirbad (Anup) Mahapatra from Kulita Tukura village of Attabira block in Bargarh district embarked on a journey to Africa on August 2, 2025. Mountaineers from the United Kingdom, America, Iran, Brazil, Germany,Australia,Philippines,Canada,Argentina,England Russia,Saudi Arabia,Japan,China,and Dubai were included in his team. He was the only Indian Mountaineer to participate in this mountaineering expedition. Ashirbad underwent training at the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering in Pahalgam, Kashmir in his early days. He has previously completed adventurous training sky diving, paragliding, skiing, CPR, search and rescue, shooting and survival training. Previously, he had successfully climbed on peaks like Tatakoti(4760m), Harmukh(5300m), Trishul(7120m), Neelkanth(6596), Sunset, Gol Top(4420),and Sleeping Lady Mountain(2240m) and brought pride to the nation. Now, he has successfully scaled Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters or 19,341feet), the highest peak in Africa and hoisted the Indian flag and the flag of Maa Samalei, the revered deity of Western Odisha, at the summit. He has brought glory to Bargarh and the entire nation. Ashirbad credits Honourable Bargarh MP Pradip Purohit for his immense support in this regard. In his reaction, Ashirbad said that mountaineering was his childhood dream and he is now living his dream. He expressed his desire to inspire and train the future generation in India about mountaineering, aiming to make India shine on the global platform. Congratulations and good wishes are pouring on Ashirbad from various personnels and institutions.
Reported by Srikant Beura
