Jammada Preeth Appaiah, a resident of Bannimantap, Mysuru, has achieved a remarkable feat by reaching the summit of Mount Elbrus, the tallest mountain in Russia and Europe, on August 17. She completed the climb in 7 hours and 20 minutes, starting at midnight and reaching the peak at 7:20 am, as part of an 11-member expedition team.
Preeth is the second person from Kodagu to achieve this summit, following Tekkada Bhavani of Peroor, Napoklu. This achievement follows her successful ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, in March 2023.
Mount Elbrus, an extinct volcano standing at 5,642 meters (18,510 feet), is located in the Caucasus range near the Georgia border. It is recognized as the highest peak in Europe, though the Caucasus Range spans both Europe and Asia.
Preeth shared her challenging journey with Star of Mysore. She departed from Mysuru on August 9 and arrived in Russia on August 10. After acclimatizing with a trek to a 4,120-meter-high mountain and completing further acclimatization walks, she faced extreme cold and treacherous conditions on Elbrus. Temperatures plummeted to minus 35 to minus 40 degrees Celsius, with dangerous Arctic winds and hidden crevices making the climb particularly perilous. Despite the harsh conditions and weather delays, Preeth and her team successfully reached the summit on August 17.
Preeth, a homemaker married to advocate Jammada M. Aiyanna, has two sons and is driven by her goal to climb all seven summits—the highest mountains on each continent. She is the daughter of the late Hon. Captain Kunjiyanda Appaiah and Gowramma, and her brother is wildlife photographer Kunjiyanda Machaiah.
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