The August 15 summit also happened to fall on India's 80th Independence Day.

At an age when many people begin slowing down, 74-year-old T.J. Marce was preparing to climb Europe’s highest peak. The retired Kerala State Road Transport Corporation employee, Marce (74) from Wayanad has now summited Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, reaching its 5,642-metre (18,510-ft) summit on August 15, 2026. The ascent was part of an eight-day expedition by a five-member team from Kerala that faced temperatures of around minus 20°C and winds of nearly 65 kmph during the climb.According to the Hindu and various media, Marce, who is from Kavumannam in Thariode grama panchayat, completed the expedition along with S. Seshadri, M.P. Muraleedharan, G.J. Aghina Soorya and P. Athif. Seshadri led the expedition, while Soorya was its co-lead and the only woman in the team. Marce, Seshadri and Muraleedharan are from Wayanad, Soorya is from Kozhikode and Athif is from Malappuram.The August 15 summit also happened to fall on India's 80th Independence Day.

At 74, he is believed to be the oldest Indian to summit Elbrus

The expedition included another senior mountaineer, 66-year-old M.P. Muraleedharan. (Photo credit: The Hindu)

The most notable part of Marce's climb was his age. He was 74 years, six months and 26 days when he reached the summit. According to the expedition team, and few media reports, Marce is believed to be the oldest Indian to summit Mount Elbrus, which lies in Russia's Caucasus range.The expedition included another senior mountaineer, 66-year-old M.P. Muraleedharan. The two Wayanad residents have been climbing together for several years and had already completed some demanding treks before taking on the higher peaks. Their progression has been gradual. The pair trekked to Everest Base Camp in 2024 and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain at 5,895 metres, in 2025. Marce and Muraleedharan completed the Kilimanjaro climb together in September last year.With the Elbrus ascent, Marce, Muraleedharan and Athif have now completed two of the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the world's seven continents. Athif had earlier climbed Kilimanjaro in 2019.

His mountaineering journey began after 60

According to NDTV, Marce did not begin serious mountaineering in his youth. His more demanding trekking journey took shape after retirement. Marce and Muraleedharan began training for mountaineering after turning 60. During the Covid-19 pandemic, a trekking initiative associated with the Wayanad Collectorate began including senior citizens.In 2021, when Marce was 70, he joined a trial trek to Cheengeri Hills. He then continued trekking with Muraleedharan and took part in expeditions in Wayanad, including climbs in the Brahmagiri Mountains and Banasura Peak.What began with local trails eventually took him outside Kerala and India. Speaking about his interest in mountains, Marce said that he had been interested in trekking and sightseeing from a young age and had always been fascinated by the wild. Reaching a summit and looking down from the top, he said, gives him a different kind of satisfaction.Eight days, freezing temperatures and strong windsThe Elbrus expedition was not an easy climb. According to media reports, Marce recalled temperatures dropping to around minus 20°C, with some steep sections requiring the climbers to hold on to ropes. The team left Mumbai on August 7 and travelled to Tbilisi in Georgia before travelling to Terskol in Russia, the nearest town to Mount Elbrus. The summit attempt began around midnight, with the climbers reaching the summit early the following morning.The team also had to contend with powerful winds. According to The Hindu, cold winds reached around 65 kmph, particularly after the saddle point during the final ascent and descent. For Muraleedharan, who has completed more than 130 treks across the Himalayas and other mountain ranges, Elbrus was his toughest expedition so far.

“I want to summit more mountains”

Marce and Muraleedharan completed the Kilimanjaro climb together in September last year.

For Marce, however, Elbrus is not being treated as a final achievement. “I want to summit more mountains, but that requires a lot of planning and preparation. Maybe, I will undertake my next big trek next year,” he told The Hindu.The 74-year-old's journey from local trails in Wayanad to some of the world's major mountain destinations has taken place largely after retirement. Seshadri, who led the Elbrus expedition, said the summit itself was only one part of the experience. “The summit is only one part of the journey. The preparation, the people, the challenges, and the safe return are equally important,” he said.The team wants more people to take up trekking, with its members stressing that the experience begins long before reaching a summit.For Marce, that journey has already gone from the hills of Wayanad to Everest Base Camp, Kilimanjaro and now Elbrus. And at 74, he is still looking towards the next mountain.