"There was a statue of the Buddha at the summit, placed there by the Sherpas. I knelt down and bowed in front of it. I felt complete. When I looked around I felt I ruled the world, with the Himalayas stretching out below me and nothing to obstruct my view.

Two months after he had set out, sixteen-year old Arjun Vajpal stood on top of the world, having conquered Mount Everest. At that time, he held the record for being the youngest non-Sherpa person in the world to do so. He si still the youngest Indian to climb the peak. It had indeed been a long journey. Arjun's fascination with mountains began at the age of ten, nurtured and encouraged by his parents, teachers, and close friends. As a trekker and an athlete, he had trained and worked hard to achieve this amazing feat of endurance.