When 24-year-old Arunima Sinha stood atop Mount Everest on May 21, 2013, she had not just accomplished the world’s toughest climb, but she had done it with an artificial limb! Just two years prior to this, on April 12, 2011 she was pushed out of a moving train by some miscreants. She lost her left leg in this horrific ordeal.
Undaunted and filled with the desire to prove herself, she dreamed of climbing Mt Everest. Shortly after being released from hospital, she met Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to climb Mt Everest. Pal encouraged and inspired Arunima to fulfil her dream.
She is also the world’s first female amputee to conquer Mount Everest. She went on to scale Mt Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mount Kosciuszko in Australia, Mount Elbrus in Europe, and Mount Aconcagua in South America.
Arunima grew up in Ambedkar Nagar, near Lucknow. Born on July 20, 1988, she has an elder sister and younger brother. Her father worked as an engineer and mother as a health supervisor. As a child, she enjoyed sports such as cycling, football and volleyball.
She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015 and wrote an inspiring account of her journey to the top of the world in her book, ‘Born again on the Mountain’.
Picture Credit : Google
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