“The world is very small.” When Malavath Poorna, 13, spoke out these words from atop Mt. Everest, she captured the magnitude of her achievement, an inspiring tale for girls of India.
Poorna, member of a Scheduled Tribe community in Nizamabad district, became the youngest girl to conquer the highest peak in the world when she scaled it on Sunday, along with Sadhanapally Anand Kumar, 18, of Khammam district. Both are students of the AP Social Welfare Residential Education Institutions Society (APSWREIS).
Poorna’s parents are agricultural labourers, and Anand’s father is a bicycle mechanic. They were part of a special initiative undertaken by the society, in association with Transcend Adventures Pvt. Ltd.
On reaching the peak, Anand hoisted the National Flag and the colours of SWAEROS (Association of present and former students of the APSWREIS), and placed the portraits of B.R. Ambedkar and S.R. Sankaran, an official who was instrumental in setting up the society.
Poorna and Anand achieved the feat within 52 days, that too with training for just a month and a half. They were trained by B. Sekhar Babu, a Tenzing Norgay award winner, who accompanied them for the mission. The two were selected after various phases of mountaineering training and based on their mental and physical strength and confidence.
The feat involved some heart-wrenching moments. Anand’s grandmother passed away during the mission and his parents chose not to break the news to him, said R.S. Praveen Kumar, Secretary, APSWREIS, who oversaw the initiative.
“The mission was delayed as 18 Sherpas died in a landslide on April 18. The Sherpas in south Nepal went on a strike, but looking at the youngsters’ zeal, they agreed to help them,” he said.
