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World Record: Haryana's Rohtash Khileri become first human to stay 24 hours without oxygen on Mount Elbrus

Indian mountaineer Rohtash Khileri sets a world record by surviving 24 hours on Mount Elbrus without oxygen, offering rare insights into human endurance science.

January 22, 2026 / 11:05 IST
Indian Mountaineer Rohtash Khileri, become first human to stay 24 hours without oxygen on Mount Elbrus. (Image: X/@rohtashkhileri)
Snapshot AI
  • Rohtash Khileri set a world record by spending 24 hours on Mount Elbrus without oxygen.
  • Scientists view Khileri's feat as a major endurance and survival achievement.
  • His journey inspires others and advances extreme survival and space medicine research.

Will you be able to remain on the top of mountains at high altitudes and lack oxygen at least 24 hours? Well, the answer is "yes". Rohtash Khileri stayed for 24 hours at an elevation of 5,642 metres above sea level at Mount Elbrus. He stayed on Europe's top peak without any oxygen support. He created a world record for the first person to stay without oxygen at Mount Elbrus. Researchers believe that long hikes at that level are much more perilous than brief ascending.

World Record Set by Rohtash Khileri

Rohtash Khileri from Haryana has made history by becoming the first person to spend 24 hours alone on top of Mount Elbrus without oxygen support. This is Europe's highest peak. He pushed the human body into one of its most hostile operating zones.

Unlike summit attempts that prioritise speed, Khileri’s record demanded prolonged exposure. Oxygen deprivation intensified with time. Physical recovery became impossible. Scientists note that extended stays at altitude are significantly riskier than rapid ascents and descents.

What Do Scientists Consider This To be?

Scientists see the achievement of Rohtash Khileri as a real-world endurance test. The research on physiology of high-altitude has demonstrated something. It tells that anaerobic life is based on high efficiency of oxygen use, growth of red blood cells and extreme energy saving.

Scientists put emphasis on the psychological aspect, too. A long period of hypoxia blocks judgement until the body collapses. This makes it the most difficult to stay on track.

What's the update on Rohtash Khileri now? 

After the record, Rohtash Khileri shared updates through social media. He called the 8-year journey a crazy dream achieved. Despite frostbite losses earlier, he remains focused on inspiring others. The Indian Mountaineer credits training discipline and supporter encouragement for success worldwide. His journey now stands as a living study of survival.

Rohtash Khileri shared updates through social media. (Image: X/@rohtashkhileri) Rohtash Khileri shared updates through social media. (Image: X/@rohtashkhileri)

Where Air Thin and Time Slows down

Above 5,000 metres, the oxygen supply decreases to almost 50 percent of that along the seashore. Pneumonia becomes ineffective. Heart rate rises. Energy is wasted with simple movements.

The strain is aggravated by cold, wind and dehydration. The body loses heat faster. The mind becomes blurred. Time is warped and inexhaustibility intensifies. On Mount Elbrus, one can be as safe being in place as climbing.

This Achievement Counts more than Mountain Heights

In addition to mountaineering, the record provides contributions to space medicine, polar expeditions, and emergency survival science. Oxygen-restricted environments are in use by astronauts.

There is also a high-risk operation that subjects rescue teams to similar physiological stress. The knowledge of long-term oxygen deprivation assists the scientists in enhancing the safety procedures and training approaches in the most severe occupations.

Can humans stay without oxygen on mountains for 24 hours?

According to science, it can but most people cannot. This stamina only comes after months of acclimatisation, careful planning and outstanding spots of mental restraint. Risks are unpredictable even at the time.

The safety limits are not redefined by the record of Rohtash Khileri. It reinvents human potential and demonstrates that when disciplined and adjusted to. Even the human body can survive long after what most people originally thought was possible.

Gurpreet Singh
first published: Jan 22, 2026 10:53 am

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