Image Source: HPPCIndia
Age has never been a hindrance for those who want to achieve something big in life. In 2014, Malavath Poorna, a 13-year-old girl from Telangana, became the youngest girl to set foot on the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest.
Poorna’s, the daughter of M Devidas and M Lakshmi, belongs to a family of farm labourers. Lack of basic necessities did not deter her from doing what she longed for. She wanted to prove that girls are not weaker. She was a class IX student in an Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Residential Education School at Tadawai in Nizamabad district of the state.
Anand Shrama, 16-year-old, first-year intermediate student of Anupareddipalli welfare school accompanied Poorna on her trip to Mount Everest. His father, Kondala Rao, runs a cycle repair shop while his mother is an attendant at an anganwadi in Khammam district. Both of these courageous children were selected out of a group of 110 students from 300 welfare schools to be sent to Hmalayan Mountaineering Institute by the state govt. under a social welfare department scheme called ‘Op-Everest’.
“My daughter climbed up for many hours on ice mountain and reached the top,” her father said.
Anand’s father, Kondala Rao said it was the great achievement for his son as well as the welfare department which encouraged him. “I haven’t been able to speak with Anand as he is coming down the Everest but we are all very happy,” said Kondala.
Shortly before leaving for the base camp, Poorna had posted on her Fb page: “I know it requires mental and physical strength and Mt Everest is tough but I will prove it that I can do it”.
Both of the children were constantly in touch with their school via satellite phones through which they described their experiences in real time.
Poorna and Anand were selected for their physical fitness. They were given advanced training in September. Poorna wants to join IPS in order to make the voices of people heard.
