Indian teenager becomes youngest female climber to summit Everest from south side
Sixteen-year-old Nisha Sasikumar now sets her sights on Denali as part of an ambitious Seven Summits quest.
At 16, Nisha Sasikumar of Tamil Nadu has become the youngest Indian female climber to summit Mount Everest from the mountain's southern route, according to her expedition organiser, Elite Exped.
Nisha reached the 8,849-metre summit on May 25 and descended safely after the climb. She was accompanied by Sherpa guides Tenji Sherpa, Phura Dorji Sherpa and Phursang Sherpa.
Born in Chennai in March 2010, Nisha arrived on Everest after months of training and acclimatisation in Nepal's Khumbu region. She completed the climb alongside her father, Gendham Sasikumar.
The achievement places her among India's youngest Everest climbers, though not the youngest overall. In 2014, Malavath Poorna summited Everest at the age of 13 years and 11 months via the mountain's northern, Tibetan route, a record she still holds as the youngest Indian female to reach the world's highest point.
For Nisha, Everest is only one stage of a broader ambition. She plans to attempt Denali, North America's highest peak, later this season, with the aim of completing two of the famed Seven Summits within a matter of months.
She is already no stranger to mountaineering records. In October 2025, aged 15 years, seven months and eight days, she became the youngest female climber to summit Carstensz Pyramid, the highest peak in Oceania. The feat was later recognised by the India Book of Records. That expedition, too, was organised by Elite Exped.
Nisha completed the Indonesian climb alongside her father, with whom she is pursuing a Seven Summits challenge. Denali is next on their list. "Can't go back to full rest mode—we got Denali to summit," Gendham wrote on Instagram after their Everest success.
Elite Exped described Nisha's ascent as "an extraordinary achievement" demonstrating exceptional determination and endurance on the world's highest mountain. The company also credited her Sherpa team for providing the expertise and support that made the climb possible.
Nisha's success comes amid a season that has seen a growing number of young climbers pursue ambitious high-altitude objectives. Few, however, are attempting to combine Everest and Denali in the same season.
