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A nine-year-old girl from Andhra Pradesh has conquered Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro which is the highest single free-standing mountain in the world.
Kadapala Rithvika Sri from Anantapur climbed Mount Kilimanjaro on February 25. The Class 2 student at the St Vincent De Paul English Medium School of Anantapur, climbed to Gilman’s Point at 5,681 metres above mean sea level with her father and guide. By completing this feat, Rithvika has become one of the youngest persons to scale the mountain, which is located in Tanzania.
Rithvika is a native of M Agraharam village in Tadimarri mandal. Mt Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano and the highest single free-standing mountain in the world at 19,340 feet, above the mean sea level. Gilman’s Point is one of the three summit points of Mt Kilimanjaro. Climbers who manage to reach this point receive the official Kilimanjaro climbing certificate.
Rithvika’s father, Kadapala Sankar, is a cricket coach in the Special Olympics Bharat wing of Rural Development Trust, Anantapur. He had scaled the peak last year and took his daughter along this time.
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An IAS officer Gandham Chandrudu applauded the young girl’s achievement in a tweet shared on Sunday. “You have grabbed the opportunities despite many odds. Keep inspiring,” he wrote while congratulating the nine-year-old. Chandrudu had helped the father and daughter duo by releasing Rs 2.89 lakh from the SC Corporation funds for the expedition.
Rithvika participated in Level 1 training at the Rock Climbing School in Telangana and Level 2 training in Ladakh before embarking on the quest to conquer Kilimanjaro. “Rithvika Sri took part in the mountaineering expedition with enthusiasm and she could make it in her first attempt,” her father said.
