Having climbed five highest mountains, Visakhapatnam boy Anmish Varma Bhupathiraju is ready to scale Australia’s highest mountain Mt. Kosciuszko and Carstensz Pyramid, the highest mountain in Australia and Oceania.
This is part of Anmish’s ambition to conquer the world’s Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. He has already conquered five of them—Aconcagua (South America) and Kilimanjaro (Africa) in 2020, Everest (Asia) and Elbrus (Europe) in 2021, and Denali (Asia) in 2022.
In his native state of Andhra Pradesh, Anmish has built his reputation as a youth and sports icon. He is also India’s pride having won medals in the field of martial arts (more on that below).
The pandemic did not thwart his ambitions. “There were many issues such as fellow mountaineers testing COVID-19 positive, delay in logistics, fear of contracting the virus, cancellation of flights and many others,” he tells The Indian Sun over zoom from India. “Yes, it’s tough in the mountains to wear masks and follow COVID guidelines, we just had to be very careful.”
Anmish climbed Everest in one of the most difficult seasons with two cyclones affecting the Himalayan Ranges. “I had to climb Mt Everest two times in the same season,” he says.
This June, he successfully climbed Mt Denali, North America’s highest mountain – bringing his tally to five in his quest to conquer the world’s Seven Summits.
Determination is Anmish’s shtick. The Australian climb is all set to go. He has got his visa but is waiting for sponsorship now. “I am all done with my preparation and fitness,” he reveals.
Anmish, 29, developed a keen interest in climbing hills and mountains growing up in Visakhapatnam, the city of destiny he reminds me. “I am always happy standing at the top, climbing is my favourite activity – something I have been doing since childhood.
For an adventure sport such as mountain climbing, asked what his special diet or mental and physical training are, Anmish, in his laconic ways, says, “I never followed proper diet, I eat the food which I like the most such as fish, crabs, etc. I do martial arts.”
Anmish’s reputation rests not just on his great climbs. He is also a martial arts champion having won several medals for India.
Apparently, it was after watching Telugu movie Thammudu (1999) at the age of nine that Anmish decided to learn karate in his school. He later joined the Okinawa sports karate-Do association of Andhra Pradesh in Vishakhapatnam.
In 2002, Anmish bagged his first medal (bronze) at the Open National Karate Championship. When he couldn’t make it to the 2012 USA WKU championship due to lack of sponsorships, it further resolved his commitment to the game.
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He would go on to become a two-time world champion and the first Indian to get gold at the World Martial Arts Championship, which was held at Athens in Greece in 2018. He also secured gold at Austria in 2019.
“I am the only Indian to secure six consecutive international medals from 2014 to 2019 in World Martial Arts Championships,” says Anmish.
For his achievements, Anmish has been awarded with the Best Sportsperson Award in 2019 by the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. He has also been recognised as the Youth Icon for the year 2019-20 by the government of Andhra Pradesh. He also won the Exemplary Award in 2021.
There is also a philanthropic side to this sportsman. In 2010, Anmish established an NGO Kalpavruksh, through which he and his team have trained over 100,000 girls and women in self-defence.
The future for Anmish is, of course, the Australian mountain climbs. He is hoping some good sponsorship comes along his way.
He also has his sights set on becoming the first Indian to do the Ski Last Degree South Pole and North Pole, along with the seven summits from the Explorers Grand Slam Challenge.
“Once completed, I will become the fastest Indian and the first Indian man to complete the challenge,” he says.
The expedition has hardly begun for Amish. Or so it seems.
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Having climbed 5 highest mountains, Visakhapatnam boy Anmish Varma Bhupathiraju @AnmishVarma is ready to scale Australia's highest mountain Mt. Kosciuszko & Carstensz Pyramid, the highest mountain in Australia & Oceania. 🏔 #TheIndianSun @indira_laisram https://t.co/rwKeqp702i
— The Indian Sun (@The_Indian_Sun) September 8, 2022
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