Photos: First Dalit to scale Mount Everest, S. Anand Kumar

S. Anand Kumar of India is now the first Dalit to reach the summit- Mt. Everest, a dream for all adventure seekers around the world. At 7.30 in the morning of 25th May 2014, just one hour after her teammate Malavath Poorna, who has by then already become the youngest woman in the world to reach the top of the world, Anand Kumar too peaked. Anand Kumar is also just 16 years old and a eleventh class student at Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Educational Institutions Society’s school. Born of a very poor family, Anand’s father was a teacher in a private school, but is now working as a cycle mechanic to repay the loan he has taken from the shop owner to construct a pucca house at his dwelling.  Just few years back, half of his family members were taking turns to sleep as his house was leaking in monsoon rains. Anand vowed to reach new heights that day and he has done that against all odds. Similar to Poorna, Anand too achieved the feat in just nine months time from being selected for a rock climbing camp near Hyderabad (in September 2013) to reach to the top of the world. Unimaginable!!

(All photos are courtesy APSWREI and Transcend Adventures)

Standing tall at top of the world!

At Nyalam, Tibet on 12th April 2014

Ananfd and Poorna with their instructor Shekhar Babu, who himself is a Everest winner and Arjun Awardee

Anand getting ready for the summit.

Weather relents and all clear to ascend!

A dream fulfilled!

Taking Babasaheb Ambedkar and S.R. Sankran to the top!

Babasaheb Ambedkar, father of India’s constitution is a Dalit icon.

Former IAS Late S.R. Sankaran was the idea behind the Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society.

Anand Kumar at summit of Mount Everest

See the amazing self video of Anand from the top of the Everest