R.J. NAGARAJAN today became the second Malaysian to climb all seven highest peaks in seven continents of the world after successfully conquering his seventh peak at Mount Everest today.

According to ZEROTO8000 founder Mohd Khafiz Bachok, Nagarajan, 59, who is more affectionately known as RJ or Rajan, managed to conquer the summit of Mount Everest at 10.30am local time (12.45pm Malaysia time) today.

“Congratulations to another Malaysian, RJ Nagarajan, 59 years old, who successfully climbed the world’s highest peak Mount Everest at a height of 8,850m above sea level at exactly 10.30 this morning and became the second Malaysian to successfully climb all the seven highest peaks in the seven continents in Reinhold Messner’s version and the fourth climber in Malaysia known as the ‘World 7 Summits’” he said in a statement today.

“The Seven Summits is one of the highest achievements in the world of mountain climbing.”

Khafiz said previously, Nagarajan had successfully climbed Mount Aconcagua in Argentina at a height of 6,961m, which is the highest peak in the South American continent; Mount Denali in the United States (6,194m), the highest peak in North America; Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (5,895m), the highest in Africa; Mount Elbrus in Russia (5,642m) is the highest peak on the European continent; Mount Vinson (4,892m) is the highest in Antarctica; and Mount Kosciuszko (2,228m) is the highest on the Australian continent.

And the latest is Mount Everest in Nepal at a height of 8,848m, which is the highest peak in the Asian continent and the world this morning, he said.

Khafiz said Nagarajan had also conquered two more mountains, namely Mount Mont Blanc, in France at a height of 4,810m and Puncak Jaya in Irian Jaya (4,884m), each of which has a different version for Europe and Australia. It took him seven years since 2016 to complete all the climbs.

Khafiz said Muhamad Muqharabbin Mokhtarrudin or Qobin was the first Malaysian to complete the Reinhold Messner (Carsten Pyramid) version of the Seven Summits (climbing the seven highest peaks in the seven continents) and two other climbers – Ahmad Reduan Rozali and Fakri Abdul Samah – had successfully climbed the seven peaks on the seven continents in the version of Richard Bass (Kosciousko).

Nagarajan, who is also a climber from the ZEROTO8000 team, said his climb is to convey the message of Malaysia’s spirit of self-reliance in pursuing dreams and creating success.

Every Malaysian should strive to be independent in creating success in various fields, he said.

He himself did all the climbing by working hard to collect his own funds and now it is proven that he has succeeded and this spirit is being instilled in the minds of Malaysians by ZEROTO8000, not only in climbing but also in whatever dreams they have. – Bernama, May 22, 2023.