Before she entered her teens, she conquered the highest peak of Africa. It was many firsts for G. Narsamma, her first flight journey, first sighting of African lands and, most importantly, first major effort to scale a very high-altitude mountain. But the 12-year-old student of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya in Medak district pushed herself to conquer Mt. Kilimanjaro along with 14 other students of social welfare residential schools and Tribal Welfare Residential Schools of Telangana.
“I got scared on the first day. But I told myself on the second day that if I have to get recognition, than I have to do this feat,” she said excitedly outside Shamshabad international airport on Thursday. The team of 21 members got a rousing reception upon their return from Tanzania. A number of friends, family members and staff of social welfare residential school society welcomed the “achievers” after which they were taken to Sangarareddy in a victory rally. These students from economically poor background were overwhelmed with the attention and congratulatory gestures, coming their way.
The team, under the mentorship of mountaineer Sekhar Babu, started trekking on August 10. The young team reached the highest point on August 14 and unfurled a 20-foot Indian flag. The members also sang the national anthem after their successful expedition.
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