Gorakhpur: A 23-year-old youth, who claims to have scaled the peak of Mount Everest in 2018, is gearing up to add another feather in his cap to hoist the Indian tricolour on Africa's highest peak Mount Kilimanjaro on Republic Day. Nitish Kumar Singh from Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur is set to achieve another milestone by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest free-standing mountain in the world that stands at an imposing 5,895m.
Nitish will start his much-awaited journey from Tanzania from January 21 to fulfill his dream on the occasion of Republic Day with an aim to bring laurels to Gorakhpur city. The young and ambitious mountaineer will leave for Africa on January 18, adding that the Uttar Pradesh government must provide financial assistance to mountain climbers just like the Punjab and Haryana government.
Having taken training in 2016, Singh claims to have climbed Stok Kangri in Leh-Ladakh at 6124m, Kangto at 7,060 metres in Arunachal Pradesh, mount Rudra Gaura and Pennant Choti at 9,000 and 19,081m respectively.
Talking to ETV Bharat, Singh said, "I have not received any help from the government. Mahamandaleshwar of Gorakhpur Kinnar (transgender) Akhada, Kiran Nand Giri Baba has lent me a helping hand and. I need Rs 5 lakh and I have collected Rs 2 lakh 80 rupees till now. Few social activists have come forward to help me."
