Soubhagya Kumar Rath and his wife Dr Sagarika Mishra created mountaineering history for Odisha as they became the first couple from the State to successfully scale Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and the largest free-standing mountain of the world today.

The couple started the ascent from Rongai Gate and successfully reached Gilmans Point (5681 metres) from the base camp of Kibo hut. Braving the cold (-15°C) and the storm, the couple started their summit push at midnight and reached the summit around 7.00 am local time (9.30 am IST).

After reaching the summit and accomplishing their goal, the couple sang Bande Utkal Janani wearing traditional Odia costume. Dr Sagarika became the first veterinary surgeon and first female government employee from the state to climb Mt Kilimanjaro.
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PHOTO: Soubhagya Rath and Sagarika Mishra pose at the top of Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania on 28 February 2025.