At just 20 years old, Rifiness Warjri has scaled Mount Everest, making her the youngest person from Meghalaya to reach the summit and the latest in a string of trailblazing mountaineers from India’s Northeast. The NCC cadet from Shillong, who hails from a modest family running a roadside tea and noodle stall, completed her ascent on May 18, 2025, as part of a 38-member expedition.

Despite limited institutional support and resources, Rifiness persevered, balancing training with community responsibilities. She described the Everest experience as a lesson in humility: “The mountains teach us humility… I realised how small and insignificant we are.”

Rifiness is not planning to stop here - she has now set her sights on the Seven Summits challenge, aspiring to conquer peaks on all seven continents, including Denali, Kilimanjaro, and Mount Vinson . She has already gifted a rock from Everest’s summit to Meghalaya’s Mineral Resources Directorate as a tribute to her homeland.

Her journey, rooted in grit, grace, and grounded values, is fast becoming an inspiration - especially to youth and young girls - across Northeast India.