At an age when most children are enjoying summer vacations with cartoons and games, nine-year-old V Siri Athasha from Hyderabad has accomplished a remarkable feat. She completed the Sar Pass trek in Himachal Pradesh, located 13,800 feet above sea level and known for its scenic yet challenging terrain in the Indian Himalayas.
According to her family, the Class 4 student is likely the youngest to finish this 48-kilometer trek, which includes sections with an 80-degree incline and temperatures dropping below -5 degrees Celsius. Siri walked the entire distance on foot, unlike many children who rely on hired porters.
“Every day, I walked about 9 km. I was excited to complete the trek. I could see snowfall, glaciers, and mountains all around me,” Siri told TOI. She prepared by jogging, swimming, and exercising regularly.
“I had body pains but did not feel tired despite walking for long hours. Even though I was not accompanied by my parents, I did not feel scared,” she added. Siri joined 23 others from the hiking group Hello Hikers.
Her daily routine involved starting early in the morning and reaching the campsite by evening. On Day 1, she trekked from Kasol to Grahan Pulgi campsite. Day 2 covered Pulgi to Mingtaj. Day 3 took the group from Mingtaj to Naagaru, and on Day 4, they reached the Sar Pass summit and returned to Bishkari campsite.
“On day 4, we started at 2 am and reached the summit by around 7 am. I enjoyed watching the sunrise, sunset, and snow from there,” she said.
Siri developed a love for trekking during family travels and has completed several expeditions in the past year, including Shinkula Pass, Chandrakhani Pass, and Spiti Valley treks. Her mother, Navyasri, introduced her to trekking, having started herself in Class 10 but now unable to trek due to breathing issues. “Now she doesn’t need oxygen support till 5,500 feet altitude and can trek easily,” Navyasri said.
For a month before the trek, Siri climbed a mountain behind their house in Kullu with full gear, preparing well. The family now plans to trek Umling La Pass in Ladakh, and Siri aspires to scale Mount Everest and other peaks.
Ritwik Thakur, trek leader of Hello Hikers, confirmed Siri walked independently. “This is the first time we have seen such a young girl walk and complete the trek,” he added.
