Kerala para athletes climb Nainital’s highest peak, aim to inspire youngsters

Neeraj George, a para badminton player from Kochi was recently in the news for climbing Tadiandamol Peak, Karnataka’s third highest peak. Now he has set yet another milestone by scaling Naini Peak, Nainital’s highest.

George was not alone in achieving this. With him were fellow para athletes Akash Madhavan, Gokuldas and Charles, who recently took part in the third Para Badminton Championship in Delhi. George had always planned a trip to Nainital and thought this was the best time to do it. He convinced the others to join him in climbing Naini Peak.

I have been trekking for a while now but my personal favourite is always going to be Naini Peak. It was a blissful experience. We could witness the Himalayas from Naini Peak and the trek was great due to perfect weather and great company. There was much to learn and see. – Neeraj George, Para Badminton Player

Neeraj and party took a bus to Nainital and stayed there for a couple of days before their adventurous trek. Trek2Mountains organized and planned the trip for them and made things easier. The gruelling hike was made fun with some touches of history thanks to a local guide who told them about the historical relevance of each peak while climbing. Getting to the top was not easy given the many challenges on the path.

“There is so much history to Naini Peak that dates back to 18th century. Climbing the peak was challenging in many ways. For instance, we would become short of breath when we reached certain points. So there is a plant out there that helps you breathe. Only the locals know of all that. Our guide from Trek2Mountains was of great help, says Gerrge.

Madhavan, who was also a part of the trip, says he is happy George urged them to be a part of the experience. “Initially, we did not have any plans to visit Naini Peak. Neeraj is the one who inspired us to join him. Thanks to him, we had a great time. This is my first experience with trekking. I saw the Himalayas and the weather was perfect to add to this lovely experience. I definitely plan to go again.

These para athletes beat their disability to climb peaks and chase dreams. Their adventures are truly inspiring.

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