On 25th of August, 2014 we were told that Arunima Sinha has come to our school "New Era Senior Secondary School" to give us motivational speech as well as give some insight to her life.Our English teacher asked if we know about her.But I was really surprised when I came to know know that only few of us knew about her.She is the first woman amputee in the whole world to scale 8848 meters ie the Mount Everest. Her story is a very inspiring one and every one ought to know her story.So here I would like to share in brief the conversation she had with us all.
She was India's national level volleyball player.Once while travelling by a train some 4 robbers tried to rob her.When she resisted she was thrown out of the train!And at that very moment another train was moving in the opposite direction and she hit the train.I have not heard of such a miracle escape but it happened in her case.She bounced back and fell just between the parallel tracks.Her both legs were severely injured.Before help from the medics could reach her about 49 trains had gone past her.She was later taken to hospital in the city of Bareilly and later to AIIMS where a rod was inserted in her one leg and the other had to be amputated and she was given a prosthetic leg.
Meanwhile in order to suppress the story of robbery many reasons were given to why she had jumped.Some said she didnt have ticket, some said her brother pushed her.When both of these were proved wrong it was concluded that she attempted suicide.This was enough for her to break down.But lying there in the hospital bed she had made a decision and I would say a rather bold decision.She decided that she would climb the Mount Everest to prove those people wrong who had written lies about her.Her pursuit thus began.
On the very day she was released from the hospital, she didnt go to her home.Instead she went to meet Bachendri Pal(first Indian women to climp Mount Everest).Bachendri Pal though initially didnt support her idea but finally she also gave her support to this lady with such strong determination. (# We the normal people generally feel very dejected at our loss.For us it would have become like a voluntary retirement from our daily life but here Arunima was surely made of some other material.)
With funding from various sources she started her training and she trained for two years whole to get ready for her mission.While training she used to feel a lot of pain because of bleeding from her amputated leg.Then again she took a decision that she wont open the bandages at all even if it bleeds profusely,during the entire day.Slowly slowly she became the fastest of the climbers in her group.Her colleagues would ask " Kya khati ho tum?",meaning what do you eat to have such power.
Now in the month of May 2013 she started her journey to conquer the highest summit.Along with ther Sherpa (who initially discouraged her to carry on with the journey) she reached at the 4th camp on the mountain.From the base camp to the summit the journey was of 3500 meters.And this stretch witnessed the maximum number of deaths.She explained to us how gruesome the scene was.Dead bodies lying here and there covered in ice.But she continued her journey.But when she was only little distance away from her aim and goal her Sherpa informed fer that she had very less oxygen left and it was impossible to continue ahead.Going ahead would certainly mean death by suffocation.But Arunima 's strong determination was heavily on control of her mind.She decided to go on, seeing her destination so close.She finally ,experiencing lot many troubles(which I could not explain all) reached the top of the world.Being an ardent follower of Swami Vivekananda,she placed a portrait of him there,worshiped him and then began her journey down.But that was the moment she felt fear for the first time.She had no oxygen left with her.She could not breathe at all.But as if God had planned everything for her.The Sherpa saw that British discard an oxygen cylinder in order to reduce some weight(It is not advisable to carry much load during mountaineering and this was Mount Everest!).Sherpa quickly went down there and came back with the cylinder to give Arunima her breath back.There after she came down and her joys knew no bounds.She had conquered what most people could not do with both the legs.
She truly is an inspiring personality.Her story teaches us how you can overcome the difficulties of your life and conquer the world.
Few lines by her which I really liked(translated in English)
->I have not done my schooling from any IIT or IIM but then also I go there often to give lectures.
->There is no thing such as luck or fate.There is only God and God helps those who help themselves.
She also mentioned her next goals.
Climbing the highest peak in every continent (She has already climbed the Alps and Kilimanjaro)
Winning a Gold medal for India in the Paralympic games.
Starting a sports academy for disabled people.
To know more about her,read her wikipedia page Arunima Sinha.
**All the above words are written on the basis of what I heard and learnt from the conversation.
There may be mistakes but I would be grateful if you forgive me for those.Thank you for reading.
