There was a statue of the Buddha at the Summit placed there by the sherpas. I knelt down and bowed in front of it. I felt complete. When I looked around I felt I ruled the world with the Himalayas stretching out below me and nothing to obstruct my view.

Two months after he had set out sixteen year old Arjun Vajpai Stood on top of the world having conquered Mount Everest. At that time he held the record for being the youngest non Sherpa person in the world to do so. He is still the youngest Indian to climb the peak. It had indeed been a long journey. Arjun’s fascination with mountains began at the age to ten nurtured and encouraged by his parent’s teachers and close friends. As a trekker an athlete he had trained and worked hard to achieve this amazing feat of endurance.

This is Arjun’s story in his won words. Accompany him on an adventure of a lifetime read about his incredible ascent and learn what it takes to be a mountaineer. On top of the world is an unforgettable story of inspiration fortitude and courage of having a seemingly impossible dream and daring to chase it.

Arjun Vajpai became at the age of sixteen the youngest Indian to scale Mount Everest. Always an excellent athlete and a champion sportsperson, arjun has represented his school Ryan international in Noida in various events such as roller skating taekwondo, basketball, football and volleyball and won laurels for his impressive performances. He is now in class XII and dreams of even bigger adventures of conquering the two ends of the earth the two ends of the earth the North and the South Poles of climbing the other thirteen peaks that peaks stand above 8,000 meter and then of ascending all the highest peaks located on all continents. He also dreams of becoming an army man like his father. When not climbing or participating in competitive sports he likes reading stories about adventures and explores.

Anu kumar’s most recent novel is the Dollmakers Island (gyaana Books 2010) her latest book for children Atisa and his time Machine adventures with Hiuen Tsang has also been published by Puffin India. Most of her exploring has been of the armchair variety.