For his love, Punjab man surmounts age to reach Everest base camp
At an age when most decide to slow down, 78-year-old Anil Kumar Sikka decided to speed up. And when he touched the base camp of Mt Everest at over 17,000 feet recently, his emotions peaked. After all, it was a dream that his wife had nurtured for years before dying.
Despite his old age, Punjab resident Sikka decided to tie his shoelaces, pack his Bag and begin his journey to fulfill a dream that his late wife once had. As a former sportsperson, it was her dream to stand on the top of Mount Everest, but cancer took that chance away from her.
“She couldn’t train because of her health… but this remained her dream,” said Sikka during an interview with ETV Bharat. So he trained in order to fulfill her dream.
Even though the doctors had warned him to not go through with this plan- citing low oxygen, keeping in mind his age and his already existing breathing problem- he didn’t give up and decided to do it for her.
Although Sikka faced breathing problems, freezing wind, and short winds, he managed to conquer all the challenges thrown in his way with his grandson by his side and a team of mountaineers cheering him on.
Finally, at 17,600 feet, Anil Sikka reached Everest Base Camp. It was more than just a personal achievement—it was a tribute to the woman he loved and the dream she never got to complete.
This journey does not end here as he plans to climb more peaks- and he’s proven: Love doesn’t age. And neither do dreams.
