In a historic milestone for Indian mountaineering, Bharath Thammineni, a 36-year-old climber from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, has become the first Indian to summit nine of the world’s fourteen 8,000-metre peaks, after successfully scaling Mt Cho Oyu (8,188 metres) in Tibet on Tuesday morning.
Thammineni reached the Cho Oyu summit at 6:55 a.m. (China time) / 8:55 a.m. IST, completing a decade-long pursuit that has taken him across the Himalayas, Nepal, and Tibet. His climb also stands out for being done without Sherpa support during the final summit push, a rare feat even among elite mountaineers.
“Standing on the summit of Cho Oyu today, I feel immense gratitude for the journey,” Thammineni said in a recorded message.
“This is not just a personal achievement, but a testament to the potential of Indian adventure sports.”
🏔️ Nine Peaks Above 8,000 Metres: A Record for India
Over the past eight years, Thammineni has conquered nine of the world’s tallest mountains — all above 8,000 metres — including Everest (2017) and Kanchenjunga (2022).
His full list of 8,000ers includes:
| Year | Mountain | Height (m) | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Mt Everest | 8,848 | Nepal |
| 2018 | Mt Manaslu | 8,163 | Nepal |
| 2019 | Mt Lhotse | 8,516 | Nepal |
| 2022 (Mar) | Mt Annapurna | 8,091 | Nepal |
| 2022 (Apr) | Mt Kanchenjunga | 8,586 | India/Nepal |
| 2023 | Mt Makalu | 8,485 | Nepal |
| 2024 | Mt Shishapangma | 8,027 | Tibet |
| 2025 (Apr) | Mt Dhaulagiri | 8,167 | Nepal |
| 2025 (Oct) | Mt Cho Oyu | 8,188 | Tibet |
The remaining five 8,000ers — K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II, and Broad Peak — are in Pakistan-administered territory and currently off-limits to Indian climbers due to geopolitical restrictions.
🌨️ A Battle Against Weather and Time
Thammineni began his Cho Oyu expedition on September 30, but heavy snowfall and poor visibility forced him to stay at base camp for nearly two weeks.
“We waited till October 12 and then decided to make a quick summit push. I reached the top this morning after climbing through strong winds and deep snow,”
Thammineni said in a message to his team in India.
The successful climb, made without Sherpa assistance, adds to his reputation for self-sufficient, alpine-style ascents, rare among Indian climbers on 8,000-metre peaks.
🧗♂️ India’s Leading High-Altitude Mountaineer
Founder of the adventure company Boots & Crampons, Thammineni has led expeditions across six continents, training young climbers and organizing Everest, Denali, and Aconcagua summits.
His company gained international recognition last year when:
- Chhonzin Angmo from Himachal Pradesh became the world’s first blind woman to summit Everest, and
- Vishwanath Karthikey, then 16 years old, became the youngest Indian to complete the Seven Summits challenge.
“Over the last decade, Bharath has inspired a new generation of Indian climbers,”
said Dipanjan Das, a close friend and fellow mountaineer who tracked his Cho Oyu expedition.
“He represents the new face of Indian high-altitude mountaineering — determined, self-reliant, and global in outlook.”
🏕️ A Message from the Summit
In his audio message from the summit camp, Thammineni dedicated his climb to India’s growing adventure-sports community.
“The mountains demand respect, patience, and perseverance.
I hope this inspires a new generation of Indian climbers to aim for the highest peaks,”
he said.
🌍 About Mt Cho Oyu
- Height: 8,188 metres (6th highest in the world)
- Location: China–Nepal border, west of Mt Everest
- Name meaning: “Turquoise Goddess” in Tibetan
- First ascent: 1954 by Herbert Tichy (Austria) and Pasang Dawa Lama (Nepal)
