Shashi Tharoor Seeks S Jaishankar's Help For Indian Stuck On North American Peak

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday requested External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to help rescue a "heroic young explorer" stuck on North America's highest peak. Shaikh Hassan Khan, a climber from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, which is Mr Tharoor's Lok Sabha constituency, is reportedly stuck at the 17,000-foot base camp on Mount Denali in Alaska.

In his letter to Mr Jaishankar, Mr Tharoor expressed serious concern about the "precarious and life-threatening situation" the climber finds himself in.

He also asked Indian officials to work with their American counterparts to ensure a prompt rescue.

On X (formerly Twitter), Mr Tharoor wrote, "Sadly, the heroic young explorer is now stranded on Mount Denali. My urgent request for help from the Foreign Minister and our diplomats in the US."

Sadly the heroic young explorer is now stranded on Mount Denali. My urgent request for help from the Foreign Minister and our diplomats in the US: https://t.co/B7JKrY2gZO pic.twitter.com/OTXwbKBWaA

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 18, 2025

The Congress leader characterised Mr Khan as a "committed and courageous young Indian" who had "exceptional determination, discipline, and a commitment to causes beyond personal achievement."

Mr Tharoor said that Mr Khan's ascent to the top of Denali is part of a larger effort to celebrate Indian military personnel and advance world peace under "Operation Sindoor."

Stressing the need for prompt action, Mr Tharoor expressed confidence that "with timely intervention and the cooperation of the appropriate American agencies, these young men can be brought to safety."

In a November 2024 post on X, Mr Tharoor spoke at length about the climber's accomplishments, writing that he was the "first Keralite (and perhaps the first Indian) to climb the highest peaks of seven continents on Earth (what he calls his '7 Summits Expedition')."

This young man from my constituency, Shaikh Hassan Khan, became the first Keralite (and perhaps the first Indian) to climb the highest peaks of 7 continents on Earth (what he calls his “7 Summits Expedition”). He achieved this feat after climbing Mount Kosciusko, the highest… pic.twitter.com/iTKvxrsClk

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 18, 2024

According to the post, Mr Khan achieved the feat after ascending Australia's highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, on November 10, 2024. He raised the Indian flag there.

Aconcagua, Vinson, Elbrus, Denali, Kilimanjaro, and Everest are among the mountains Mr Khan has already scaled. He also reached the summit of the world's highest active volcano, Ojos del Salado.

Mr Khan, according to Mr Tharoor's post, said that the purpose of this "7 summits expedition" was to raise awareness of climate change and to promote global peace.