Kesav Suneesh, a 21-year-old B.Com student from IHRD College in Karthikappally, Alappuzha district, Kerala, has achieved a remarkable feat by reaching Everest Base Camp at 5,364 metres. His journey, funded by savings from working as a helper in a vegetable shop and as a food delivery boy, cost only ₹16,000. This story is a testament to perseverance and the refusal to let financial constraints limit one's dreams.
A Dream That Began at Ground Level
For Kesav, the Everest dream was not a casual ambition. He knew that a full expedition to the summit would cost around ₹50 lakh, far beyond his means. Instead of abandoning the dream, he broke it into smaller steps and began with the achievable milestone of Everest Base Camp. His achievement is striking not only because of the altitude but also because of the ordinary life from which it rose. Kesav worked in Kayamkulam, saving from modest jobs. The money he collected from months of work—roughly ₹35,000 from the vegetable shop and additional earnings from delivery work—became the foundation of his Himalayan attempt. It was a journey financed not by privilege but by persistence.
The Road to Nepal Was Part of the Test
Kesav's trip was not a packaged adventure or an easy tourist route. He travelled by second-class trains and buses to keep costs low, crossed into Nepal through the Sonauli border, and made his way to Salleri before beginning the trek on foot. From there, the mountains demanded everything. Over eight days, he covered more than 132 kilometres, passing through Paiya, Tengboche, Dingboche, and Lobuche before finally reaching Gorakshep, close to Everest Base Camp. He carried a tent, slept wherever possible, and cooked his own food to stay within budget. In a world where many dreams are endlessly discussed, Kesav's was tested in the simplest and most unforgiving ways: by distance, weather, and fatigue.
He first began this journey in September 2025, but life intervened. After his grandmother died in January, he returned home. The detour could have ended the mission. Instead, he went back to work, saved again, and restarted the climb on April 7. That second attempt carried a quiet resolve that made the eventual arrival at Base Camp feel hard-won rather than lucky.
Discipline from School and College Helped Carry Him
Kesav says his endurance was shaped long before the trek began. His years in Scouts and Guides at NRPM HSS in Kayamkulam, followed by NCC in college, helped train his body and mind. Those experiences did not make Everest easy, but they gave him the steadiness to keep moving when the trail grew steep and the air grew thin. His journey also speaks to the kind of ambition that survives in difficult circumstances: practical, patient, and deeply rooted in routine. Kesav did not wait for perfect conditions. He worked, saved, travelled cheaply, and kept going.
Base Camp Is the Beginning, Not the End
Standing at Everest Base Camp gave Kesav a first glimpse of a dream he still hopes to finish one day. He knows the summit is a different challenge altogether, requiring advanced equipment, proper guidance, and weeks of preparation. But he is not speaking in past tense. He still speaks like someone who expects to return. His plan is to complete his studies, find a stable job, and save toward the ultimate climb. For now, the mountain has given him something else: proof that the first step matters, even when the final one is still far away. At 21, Kesav Suneesh has already done what many only imagine. He has shown that a dream can begin in the narrow spaces of ordinary work and still rise to extraordinary heights.
