Meet Sanjeev Gohli, a visually impaired guy who climbed a 17000 ft Himalayan mountain

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”

Sanjeev Gohil, a 43-year-old man from Vadodara lived this quote and proved it correct! Gohil is visually impared, but he didn’t let that stop him from achieving his dream of climbing a mountain. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, which is a progressive vision disorder in 2001. Yet, he managed to reach the Friendship Peak with the help of his mother and friends.
Where is Friendship Peak?

Friendship Peak, at an elevation of 17352 ft, is located in the Pir Panjal Range close to the Beas Kund region. A trek to Friendship Peak is considered perfect for budding mountaineers. The trek is beautiful as the journey goes through glorious glaciers, lush green valleys and deep forests.
But Gohil managed to reach the summit amid cold winds and freezing temperatures. This wasn’t his first climb though. Before this, he has climbed mountains in Pavagadh, Jambughoda and Chhota Udepur.

Gohil’s love of woods, mountains, his strong will and support of his friends, turned his dream into a reality. One of his close friends had a sling attached to his bag during the five-day expedition. According to Gohil, he followed the sling movements of his shoulders, which helped him take every step.

He was a postal assistant at the Department of Posts (India Post) but had to quit his job due to low vision. Later, he began freelancing with different NGOs to help disabled people find suitable jobs.