Dr. Aditya Khadanga, an intern at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, faculty of medicine of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) here, was on Friday felicitated by the university for successfully climbing Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe. 

Dr. Khadanga, faced with challenging weather conditions, made the ascent to the 18,510 feet summit on August 16 last.

Mount Elbrus, located in Kabardino-Balkaria region of south west Russia, has two dormant volcanoes.

Dr. Khadanga, who had graduated from IMS and SUM Hospital, had made an attempt to climb the 19,341 feet Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa earlier but had to abandon the climb about 50 feet from the summit due to adverse weather conditions. He said he planned to make an attempt to scale Mount Aconcagua (22,837 feet) located in Argentina in January next.

SOA Founder President Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak congratulated the young mountaineer for his achievements and wished him greater success in future. Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of Advisory Board, Prof. (Dr.) Sanghamitra Mishra, Dean, IMS and SUM Hospital, Prof. (Dr.) Pusparaj Samantasinhar, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Rajesh Lenka, Deputy Medical Superintendent and Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) were present.

Dr. Khadanga, who hails from Bargarh, said he had been attracted towards mountaineering from a very young age and underwent training for the same. Recounting his experience, he said after commencing ascent late on August 15 in freezing cold with temperature plummeting to minus 25 degrees C, the team of climbers took around nine hours to reach the summit.