Shuvam Chatterjee is a resident of Hooghly. He works as a businessman with a very supportive family. This seems mundane and trivial, but that is not all that is there to Chatterjee.
On May 20, Chatterjee climbed Mount Everest, and the next day, May 21, he climbed Mount Lhotse. While Everest is the highest peak in the world, Lhotse is no easy feat either. Standing at 8,516 metres, Lhotse is the fourth-highest peak in the world.
“I had planned for a triple summit, with Makalu in the list. But due to funding problems, I could not achieve it,” says Chatterjee.
Chatterjee at Vinson Massif, January 2026
Anyone talking to Chatterjee about his mountain experience can clearly see his passion for mountaineering and rock climbing.
Following in the footsteps of mountaineering legends like Malli Mastan Babu, who had achieved the Seven Summits in 2006, Chatterjee has already climbed 16 peaks all around the world.
Chatterjee at Mt Kilimanjaro, February 2024
The list contains Mt Kilimanjaro (February 2024), Mt. Elbrus (July 2024), Mt Giluwe (August 2024), Carstensz Pyramid, Indonesia (November 2024) and Vinson Massif, the highest peak of Antarctica, in January 2026, among various others.
“Everest has become very commercialised these days. Perhaps 400 people climbed Everest, whereas only about 20 have climbed Lhotse this year,” said Chatterjee.
While the high of scaling mountains is a personal passion for Chatterjee, it is not without a cause.
“I want to put India in the global mountaineering circuit. I have already had several records, including one World Record and five Indian records, and people know me personally. But I want my country’s climbing culture to flourish,” says Chatterjee.
Chatterjee at Mt Elbrus, July 2024
“I want to undertake some extraordinary challenges — for instance, attempting to summit certain peaks without supplemental oxygen, something no Indian has ever done before. Alternatively, I aim to set speed records — perhaps attempting to summit two 8,000-metre peaks within a timeframe that no one has ever achieved previously,” added Chatterjee.
While his family is worried for him, as they cannot reach him during his expeditions, they have never barred him from his passion.
Chatterjee at Mt Giluwe, August 2024
“My family and Calcutta Climber’s Circle are my backbone. I have been recognised and felicitated by various mountaineering organisations, but nothing from the government. I do not have regrets about it. I just want to achieve my goals,” said Chatterjee.
While Bengalis have had a rich lineage of mountaineers since the first expedition to Everest, mountaineering has gained a lot of traction.
Chatterjee says he wants to hone future climbers as well.
“I haven't really found the time to work as a teacher yet. But perhaps I might be able to dedicate time to it sometime,” said Chatterjee.