Reach for the Top
Part 1
Santosh Yadav
- Santosh is a woman mountaineer who scaled Mount Everest, not once but twice, Such a feat is considered unique. She was born in Joniyawas, a tiny village in Rewari district of Haryana. The family had five sons before she was born. Generally, male children are preferred over female ones. When Santosh was in her mother’s womb, a wandering holy man happened to visit the family. It’s customary for such sadhus to bless the people who meet him. On that occasion, he was standing close to the pregnant mother and her mother-in-law. It was assumed that the would-be mother would ask for a son, but her mother-in-law stepped in to say that they wanted a daughter, no more son. Such an unconventional stand was surprising. Nevertheless, the visiting sadhu blessed the pregnant woman and told her that she would give birth to a daughter.
- The female child was born, and named Santosh. This word means ‘contentment’. Santosh grew up in a very different manner. From the start, she loved to think, behave, and dress like a boy. She was determined to stick to her calling, and became an uncompromising, and a strong-willed girl who clung to her inner desire. She felt, if she remained firm in her ways, others would fall in line gradually.
- Santosh’s parents were well-to-do, who sent their five sons to the best private schools in nearby New Delhi. Since her society discriminated against girl children, her parents sent to the village school for education unlike her brothers. She grew up to rich sixteen –a threshhold age where most daughters were married off by their parents. Santosh, too, was prodded by her parents to marry.
- Santosh was adament not to yield to the idea of getting married. She was keen to pursue better education in a New Delhi school just as her brothers did. The pressure from her parents was unrelenting, but Santosh stood her ground firmly. defying parental restrictions, she went and got herself admitted in a good school of her choice. Her parents were peeved at her stubborn stand, and refused to pay for the school’s admission fees. Santosh refused to give up. She sais she would to do some part time work to earn money for her fees. Her parents backtracked on their opposition and agreed to finance her school education.
- Santosh made the best use of her opportuinity and studied hard to excel in examinations. Seeing her extraordinary zeal to outperform others in education, her parents slowly reconciled to their daughter’s journey in a non-conventional path. Santosh passed her Matriculation examination, and went to Jaipur for higher education. She enrolled in Maharani College where she was alotted a place in Kasturba Hostel. Through her hostel window, she could gaze at the Aravalli Hills that stood not very far away. The Hills beckoned her. She wanted to scale it, but she had no like-minded companion. One day, she came across a group of ountaineers getting ready to start their adventure. Santosh asked them if she could accompany them. They agreed readily. This incident triggered her passion for climbing mountains.
- Santosh didn’t ever think of curbing her adventurist spirit. The challenges of mountaineering continued to spark her innate tendencies to indulge in difficult outdoor activities. She enrolled in Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi to pursue her passion. Her semester examination in her college got somewhat postponed by two days, from May 19th to May 21st. The session in the Mountaineering Colllege was to start in May 23rd. It did’nt allow her to go home before proceedig to Uttarkashi. She felt guilty for not pnot returning to her parents after the semester examination. To make worse for her conscience, she had enrolled in the Nehru Mountaineering College without seeking her father’s nod. Now, she went to Uttarkashi without her knowledge. Beset with regret, she wrote a heartfelt apology letter to her father explaing her decision.
- At the Mountaineering College, she made remarkable progress. She knew danger stalked her at every step when she climbed a mountain. The hardship of the sport inspired her instead of deterring her. She went on on annual mountaineering expeditions with a sense of joy. She developed physical and mental endurance that is needed while battling the dangers in high altitudes. Successcame her way, when she scaled Mount Everest in 1992 at the very young age of twenty. It was a spectacular feat that brought her acclaim from far and wide. Curiously, just four years ago, she, as a novice, had sought permission fromm the group of mountaineers to climb the Aravalli Mountains in their group. The strides she made as a woman mountaineer became a talk of the town.
- As a climber, Santosh Yadave had developed a tough mind, but deep inside it was a kind kernel. On one mission, she came across a climber by the name Col. Sol. He was on the verge of death as the hazardous surroundings had made him struggle for life. Santosh made a frantic effort to rescue him, but the attempt proved futile. Col. Sol passed away on the spot. However, Santosh made a similar relief effort for another climber named Mohan Singh. He survived, thanks to the Oxygen cylinder that she passed on to him to save his life. Thus, Mohan Singh fought off death with Santosh’s oxygen help.
- Santosh Yadav’s repeat success came in just about a year. She was invited to be a member of the Indo-Nepalese Women’s Mountaineering Expedition. In this role, Santosh scaled Mount Everest for the second time. Recognizing her superb courage and spirit of adventure, The Indian government awarded the Padmashree honour to her.
- Santosh Yadav recalls the sense of pride that had gripped her mind when she unfurled the Indian Tr-colour atop the highest mountain peak. The feat made her a household name, and the memory of that momentous event remains etched in her memory. As a true environmentalist, she retrieved nearly half a ton of garbage left behind by other mountaineers. She, thus, makes herself a truly patriotic Indian.
—————————————-To be continued ———————-