8-year-old Mangaluru boy becomes youngest from Gulf to summit Mount Kilimanjaro

News Network
August 12, 2022

ayan.jpg

Mangaluru: Ayaan Saboor Mendon, an 8-year-old adventurer from Mangaluru has became the youngest person in the Gulf Cooperation Council to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The NRI boy, who is currently studying at the North London Collegiate School in Dubai, made history on August 4 as he unfurled the flags of UAE and India on top of the highest peak in Africa. 

It all started with the passion he inherited from his parents, Vani Mendon and Saboor Ahmed, who accompanied on the gruelling 7-day trek to the peak. It was a biting -10°C. The summit of Mount Kilimanjaro lies at 5895 metres above sea level. 

“We were preparing (to summit) Mount Elbrus before Covid. He tried convincing us to take him but he was just 6 then, which made it nearly impossible,” said Ayaan's mother. However, they promised to take him to another peak soon.

“I started my strength training two years ago to summit a peak," said the young adventurer. "It was a tough journey, but all I knew was I wanted to do it, and my parents supported me in it."

The family, along with guides and helpers, started their journey on July 28 and ascended to a height of 2000 metres to reach the first base camp. “I was all excited as I was undertaking an expedition nearly no children of my age are interested in. The moment we reached the first campsite after trekking for 5 hours, I was confident that I would summit the peak,” Ayaan said.

Vani said that they chose the Northern Circuit route which was much longer than the others. “This route has temperature variations. It was an 8-day trek as we wanted Ayaan’s body to get acclimatized to the climatic conditions and the geography there. So there was a gradual decrease in temperature and oxygen levels,” said Vani.

Ayaan was happy to see the animals, birds, and creatures that he watches on screens and in books. “We passed through the rain forest. I saw animals, birds, and plants. It was truly enchanting. I had a chance to experience different weather conditions- rain, fog, sunny and the extreme cold."

The trip was not without its challenges. Ayaan had to battle altitude sickness and harsh weather conditions. On day 6, the family reached the foothill of the peak, at an altitude of 4713 metres. “The temperature was over -15°C and things started getting worse from there,” said Vani. “We geared up for 10 hours of continuous steep trekking at 1.30 AM. By the time we reached Gilman’s point our bodies gave up and Ayaan was crying as his legs were frozen."

"We asked him if he wants to continue," she said. "All I could hear was, yes and 'I want to reach up there and see how the world looks from there'. We had to motivate him and boost his mental capacity,” added Vani.

It was around 10 am they reached Uhuru point - the highest at Mt Kilimanjaro. To celebrate their achievement, Ayaan and his parents unfurled both the UAE and Indian flags at the summit.

“I am very proud to have done this, and I want to thank my parents, my trainer Tariq and my teachers Chloe Taylor and Kate Rees, and the guides for playing a pivotal role, supporting me, and boosting my spirits,” said Ayaan.

He is proud of his accomplishment and says he hopes the climb will inspire other children to pursue their dreams. “My friends, Let's not be in 'cell', Let's return to mud, adventure, and being healthy," says a flag he held up.

The young climber says he was determined to reach the summit despite the challenges along the way and will continue his journey of climbing peaks. “I want to summit Mount Elbrus next,” said Ayaan.

“If this passion continues, I have plans to make him the youngest climber to summit the 14 highest peaks of the world in the shortest span of time - in 6 months, which will be the world record in both feats,” said Saboor.

The mother said that Ayaan has learned a lot from this expedition. “He had been training for this feat for nearly two years. He used to crib about going for swimming classes, strength training sessions. But now he is all ready for anything. He has realised that he is stronger than he thinks,” said Vani.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 8,2024

dengue.jpg

Mangaluru, May 8: The health officials in Dakshina Kannada are concerned over the increase in dengue cases in the rural areas of the district. They've seen 108 cases since January, compared to 45 last year. 

Dr. Naveen Chandra Kulal, who works on controlling diseases spread by insects, says humidity makes mosquitoes breed more.

People storing water in pots and drums during summer also make more mosquitoes, he added. 

In Lingappayyakadu village near Mulky, a survey found people store lots of water because they don't have regular drinking water. Dr. Kulal says this water becomes a place for mosquitoes to breed if containers aren't closed properly.

Dengue cases are also rising in Bengaluru, Mysuru, and other districts, he said. Even though there haven't been big groups of dengue cases in Dakshina Kannada yet, the health department is trying hard to stop it from spreading. They're doing things like teaching people how to prevent dengue and getting rid of places where mosquitoes can breed.

So far this year, Dakshina Kannada district has only had 16 cases of malaria. Dr. Kulal says many of these cases were among workers who came from other states to work on building sites.

Dr. Thimmaiah HR, who works for the health department, says if people have a fever, they should go to the nearest clinic or hospital. He also says they should get tested if they have symptoms of dengue or malaria and be careful about the hot weather.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 4,2024

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mullai Muhilan MP said that election for the South West Teachers and Graduates constituencies will be held on June 3.

The notification for the same will be issued on May 9. The last date for filing nominations is May 16. The nominations must be submitted to Regional Commissioner in Mysuru and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is May 17.

The counting of votes will be held on June 6.

As of December 30, 2023 there are 6753 voters in DK district in the South West Teachers Constituency out of which 4520 are women. On the other hand, there are 16,869 graduate voters in the district for the South West graduates constituency.

The voters can submit their application for enrollment in electoral list of the South West Teachers and graduates constituency till May 6. The applications can be submitted at Mangaluru City Corporation or all the taluk offices.

Bulk applications can be submitted by Bar Association, Doctors association, Chartered Accountants Association, registered engineers association for the graduates constituency.

Those who are graduates prior to November 11, 2020 can enroll for voters list in the graduates constituency  by submitting Form 18 along with photo copy of marks card, Aadhaar card, voters' identity card and residential address.

For getting oneself enrolled in the teachers constituency voters, an individual should be teaching for minimum three years prior to November 1, 2023 in high school or higher educational institutions.

For the teachers constituency, educational institutions can submit applications in bulk. If wrong details are furnished in these applications, then they will be punishable under Section 31 of Representation of People Act, warned the DC.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 12,2024

TVserial.jpg

In an intriguing turn of events, authorities have levied a fine against an actress for breaching traffic regulations depicted within a television serial.

In the 14th episode of the popular serial ‘Seetha Raama’ a Kannada language drama series airing on Zee Kannada, a scene featuring two individuals riding a scooter caught the attention of viewers. While the rider adhered to safety protocols by wearing a helmet, the actress on the pillion did not.

Jayaprakash Yekkur, a vigilant resident of Mangaluru, took swift notice of this discrepancy and promptly lodged a complaint with the Mangaluru City Police Commissioner. Yekkur underscored the concern that such portrayals of traffic violations by actors and actresses could potentially convey misleading messages to viewers, particularly those who are impressionable. He urged authorities to take decisive legal action against the actress, the serial’s director, and the broadcasting channel.

In response to Yekkur’s complaint, the Commissioner of Police forwarded the matter to the Mangaluru Traffic Police station. Subsequently, notices were issued to the owner of the two-wheeler featured in the scene and the serial’s director. Upon investigation, it was revealed that the scene had been filmed in Nandini Layout, Bengaluru, and was referred to the Rajajinagar police station for further scrutiny.

On May 10, after thorough inquiries, the Rajajinagar police station imposed a fine of Rs 500 on both the actress and the owner of the two-wheeler. Furthermore, the production manager of the serial committed to adhering strictly to traffic regulations in future episodes.

Expressing his contentment with the resolution, Jayaprakash Yekkur commented that the prompt response from the police, coupled with the imposition of a fine, serves as a valuable lesson and contributes significantly to enhancing public awareness.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.