Malli Mastan Babu: Peak season

This MBA wants to go where no one else has. But not by rising up the corporate ladder.

Malli Mastan Babu, who did his master?s from IIM Calcutta in 2004 after graduating from IIT Kharagpur, has set out to conquer the highest peaks of every continent. His ambition is two-fold: to become the first Indian and the fastest person ever to climb the seven summits in seven continents. The current world record-holder climbed the summits in 187 days; Malli has given himself a time-frame of 170 days.

He is almost there. Malli has climbed five summits already: Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mount Aconcagua in South America, Mount Vinson Massif in Antarctica, Mount Koscuiszko in Australia and the highest of them all, Mount Everest, which he climbed on May 21.

Still at the Everest base camp, the 31-year-old, who hails from a remote village in Andhra Pradesh, has two more items on his check list: Mount Denali in North America and Mount Elbrus in Europe.

He plans to finish by November. ?It has been quite exhausting, but I think I should be able to stick to my schedule of climbing all the seven peaks by November,? says the adventurer.

He had some hair-raising adventures on the way. He was deported from Argentina to Chile and then put on a cargo plane to India, but his visa problems were sorted out and he didn?t have to return to India. Climbing Aconcagua, South America?s highest mountain, was hazardous.

?We at IIM Calcutta are very excited about Malli?s achievements. It is rare to find someone who has given up what was offered to him on a platter and do something out of the ordinary. He is pursuing a dream of his own and it is absolutely wonderful to see this kind of passion and commitment for a cause. He is setting an example for the rest of us,? said Anindya Sen, dean of programme initiatives, IIM Calcutta.

But raising funds continues to be a matter of concern. So far, he has been able to get the required sum from friends and well-wishers, but about Rs 16 lakh is now required to complete the last leg of his world record bid. Malli plans to approach the IIM Calcutta alumni for this purpose. ?The cost of the seven climbs works out to $110,953. Although my friends and seniors have been of great help so far, I am on the look-out for sponsors,? said Malli.