It was magical – the kind of magic that rewrites your life’s script.
Standing at the summit of Mount Everest in May 2019, Keval Hiren Kakka wasn’t thinking about the engineering degree he left behind. Instead, his mind was focused on his next challenge: climbing Mount Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest peak, just days later.
Photo Courtesy: Rishi Bhandari/ The Himalayan Times
For this Mumbai native, the decision to trade textbooks for ice axes had led to this precise moment, where thin air and crystalline views confirmed what he had known since his first trek – the mountains were his true calling.
Like many Indian parents, Kakka’s family had a tradition of summer trips to Manali, a gateway to the Himalayas. But what started as routine family vacations in his seventh grade sparked something profound. “That first step into the Himalayas changed everything,” Kakka recalls. “It was magical – the kind of magic that rewrites your life’s script.”
The script in question was a predictable one: an engineering degree, a stable job, and a conventional career path. But the mountains had other plans. In his final year of engineering studies, Kakka made a decision that raised eyebrows and concerns: he would leave his degree unfinished to pursue mountaineering full-time.
It was a bold move in a culture that places immense value on academic credentials, but Kakka’s passion proved stronger than convention.
That determination rewarded out gloriously. In 2017, climb both Mount Manaslu and Mount Cho Oyu, two giants among the world’s fourteen 8,000-meter peaks. But it was his 2019 achievement that truly set him apart: summiting both Everest and Lhotse within six days, becoming the first Indian to accomplish this feat.
The accomplishment earned him the prestigious Tenzing Norgay National Award and the Shiv Chhatrapati Award, validating his unconventional career choice in the eyes of even his staunchest critics.
His journey hasn’t been without its dark moments. In 2018, while attempting Mount Stok Kangri in brutal winter conditions, frostbite claimed his right thumb. For many climbers, such an injury might have signaled the end. For Kakka, it was merely an intermission. He returned to his routine with fresh enthusiasm, his missing thumb a reminder of the highlands’ strength and his own bravery.
Now, with seven 8,000-meter peaks under his harness, Kakka has set his sights on an even more ambitious goal: “Project Tri Summit.” The plan? To climb Kanchenjunga, Makalu, and Dhaulagiri in a single season. If successful, he’ll become the fastest Indian climber to complete all eight-thousanders, achieving in seven years what takes many a lifetime.
“The mountains teach you that limits are often self-imposed,” Kakka reflects. “Sometimes, the biggest peaks we need to climb are our own doubts.” His journey from an engineering dropout to one of India’s most accomplished mountaineers serves as a powerful reminder that conventional paths aren’t the only routes to success.
In a country where academic achievement often overshadows passion, Kakka’s story resonates with a generation questioning traditional definitions of success. His achievements suggest that sometimes, the riskiest move is not taking one at all. As he prepares for his next expedition, Kakka continues to inspire others to follow their dreams, even if those dreams lead them to the highest places on Earth.
For aspiring mountaineers and dream-chasers alike, Kakka’s message is clear: some callings are too loud to ignore, and some summits are worth any sacrifice to reach. In choosing the mountains over engineering, he didn’t just change his career path – he blazed a trail for others to follow their own unconventional dreams, no matter how high they might reach.
