Aurangabad, Aug 17:
A man from the city Ambadas Gaikwad scaled Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Russia, Europe, on August 15 and hoisted the national flag to celebrate 75th Independence Day.
Trekker Ambadas Gaikwad started his expedition from Azau village in Russian on August 12.
He climbed Mt Elbrus peak, which is 18,510 feet above sea level when there was gusty wind and hailstorm.
Ambadas is an employee of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and has undergone training at Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports in Kashmir.
The hiker also climbed a peak in Laddakh and Mount Kilimanjaro in South Africa on January 26 this year. Gaikwad said that the temperature at Mt Elbrus is minus 20 degrees celsius and the speed of wind is 100 km per hour.
“I was facing difficulties in breathing. With courage, I climbed successfully and got the opportunity to hoist our tricolour. It was the happiest moment of my life,” he said.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, MLA Atul Save and officers from MIDC congratulated Gaikwad on his success. Chief Minister and industry minister will felicitate Gaikwad on his return from Russia.