Bhubaneswar: Braving all odds, two Odia mountaineers- Kush Alarba and Lipika Seth- have achieved a unique feat by scaling Mount Kilimanjaro in South Africa last month. Kush, a tribal youth from Alarputa village under Nandapur block of Koraput district proved that nothing is impossible if there is strong determination.
Despite his financial constraints, Kush managed to prove himself by undergoing rigorous training from his coach. Lipika, who also comes from a poor financial background in Bargarh, received financial support from Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd and local MP.
Both Kush and Lipika started their expedition on January 21 and on January 26 they reached the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in South Africa. The duo was accorded with a rousing reception after arriving in Bhubaneswar airport on January 29.
"Our next target is to climb highest mountain peaks of 7 continents including Mount Elbrus. I had got the opportunity through Bhubaneswar School of Adventures and my coach supported me a lot," Kush said.
Brother of Kush, Lachamu Alarba said," After we came to know about his achievement in South Africa we were extremely happy."
Local residents of the tribal village said that with the help of government help, Kush can reach new heights and bring laurels for the country.