64-year-old Pune-based businessman Yuvraj Khatpe completed his 1500th climb of Sinhagad fort last month
No one can believe Yuvraj Khatpe was the weakest among four siblings. For, today at 64, besides being a successful businessman, he is in the news for his feat of climbing the Sinhagad fort in just 90 minutes.
Khatpe recently completed his 1500th Sinhagad climb. He is also planning a get together of amateur Sinhgad-visitors this week.
It started in February 1988, when Khatpe first went to Sinhgad with a friend. Over the years, it has become a routine for him to climb the fort every Thursday and Sunday. Khatpe completed his 1500th climb on Sinhgad on September 22. He had invited veteran climber NK Mahajan and other regular members of Sinhgad group for the private function.
The historic Fort Sinhgad is situated in the South West of Pune in the Bhuleshwar range of Sahyadri mountains and is at 35 km from Pune. The fort has witnessed the famous battle of 1670 when Tanaji Malusare, the Maratha warrior won the fort for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and sacrificed his life in this battle. Sinhgad is at a height of 1312 Meters (4304 Feet) above sea level and is strategically located at the centre of the series of forts like Purandar, Rajgad and Torana. The National Defence Academy (NDA) cadets also are taken to the fort during their three-year training.
Khatpe said that initially it was because of his friend Vikas Jagdale that he was attracted to idea of visiting the fort on a weekly basis. Soon, it became a habit. “I started going to Sinhgad twice a week, Thursday and Sunday. I did not start counting from first Sunday, but started doing it when I became consistent from the fifth Sunday,” he says.
While underlining the benefits, Khatpe says that his regular Sinhagad climbs have kept him away from addictions. “The fresh air I breath at the top twice in a week can’t be compared to anything else in the world. No addiction can get me now,” he says proudly.
He has been, on the contrary, so addicted to climbing Sinhgad that even during the examinations of his daughters.
His elder brother Subhash used to drop his daughters at school, because he never missed Sinhagad.
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