Historically rare feat --- Boy Scout, 16, earns all 137 merit badges
[Sept 8, 2021: The Brighter Side of News]
Omkar Tamhane, 16, a rising junior at Lambert High School, joined the Boy Scouts when he was in the second grade and became an Eagle Scout, the highest rank a scout can earn, when he was in the ninth grade (CREDIT: WSBTV)
Forsyth County resident and Eagle Scout Omkar Tamhane has completed all the Merit Badges Scouts of America offers. Tamhane is a rising Junior at Lambert High School and a member of Troop 27 in the Atlanta Area Council, Northern Ridge District of the Scouts of America.
Tamhane, 15, became an Eagle Scout in the fall of 2019. His project consisted of designing and creating an outdoor arbor for Johns Creek Elementary as well as landscaping the plants near the school’s flagpole.
Fewer than 500 scouts in the history of Scouting have earned all merit badges according to meritbadgeknot.com.
Tamhane completed his badges by attending Merit Badge clinics over the weekends and meeting with merit badge counselors from his troop.
“Attending Merit Badge Clinics was memorable to me as I experienced new things as I traveled and met new people,” Tamhane said.
Each merit badge had something to offer, built his personality, and opened the doors to a variety of topics and fields. His personal favorites were scuba diving, aviation, skating, archery, and backpacking.
The Board of Commissioners recognized Omkar Tamhane, a rising junior at Lambert High School and Eagle Scout, for completing all 137 merit badges through the Boy Scouts of America. Less than 500 scouts in history have achieved the honor. (CREDIT: Forsyth County government)
He learned a plethora of things by completing these Merit Badges: gained a sense of personal finance, learned how to cook, went fly-fishing, water and snow skied, and so much more. He thoroughly enjoyed every merit badge he completed.
Tamhane said that his last merit badge – backpacking - was the hardest but most memorable one. He attended Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico where he completed most of his requirements. He says that Philmont was the best camping trip he had ever gone on.
“It was truly amazing to backpack in New Mexico. I spent 14 days with my Troop, and I met people from all across America,” Tamhane said.
Completing all of the Merit Badges has opened so many doors for him career-wise. But he hopes one day to pursue a career in medicine where he can serve the community.
His family said they are very proud of Omkar, to see his journey which started in second grade as a Cub Scout until he became an Eagle Scout in the ninth grade and now completing all the merit badges in 10th grade.
He wants to continue with Scouting for the years to come. He is attending Sea Base next summer where he plans to live on a sailboat for a week with a few members of his Troop and will go back to Philmont Scout Ranch as an adult when he becomes 18.
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