12. Conquering the summit Chapter short and Long Answer Questions

Short Answer Questions

Q1: What was Arunima Sinha’s dream before her accident?
Ans: Before her accident, Arunima Sinha dreamed of joining the paramilitary forces, which would allow her to pursue her passion for sports, especially volleyball, while building a career. As a 24-year-old who excelled in sports and held a law degree, she was driven by her love for athletic challenges.

Q2: What happened to Arunima on April 11, 2011?
Ans: On April 11, 2011, Arunima Sinha met with a terrible train accident that resulted in the loss of one of her legs. Doctors fitted her with an artificial limb, marking a life-changing incident that tested her resilience but inspired her to pursue a new dream of climbing Mount Everest.

Q3: Who guided Arunima during her mountaineering training?
Ans: Arunima was guided by Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest, during her training at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi. Bachendri believed in Arunima’s determination, encouraging her to chase her ambitious dream despite her physical challenges.

Q4: What did Arunima do when she reached the summit of Mount Everest?
Ans: When Arunima reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 21, 2013, she planted the Indian flag and placed a photograph of Swami Vivekananda, her inspiration, at the top. These acts symbolised her pride and gratitude, marking her historic achievement as the first Indian woman with an artificial leg to conquer the peak.

Q5: What was Arunima’s achievement by January 2019?
Ans: By January 2019, Arunima became the first woman amputee to climb Mount Vinson in Antarctica, completing her mission to conquer the Seven Summits—the highest peaks on all seven continents. This remarkable feat solidified her legacy as a trailblazer in mountaineering.Long Answer Questions

Q1: How did Arunima Sinha’s early life and dreams shape her response to the accident that changed her life?
Ans: Arunima Sinha’s love for sports and her strong personality helped her deal with the life-changing train accident on April 11, 2011, which caused her to lose a leg. Growing up in Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, with an army engineer father and a health supervisor mother, Arunima was passionate about volleyball and studied law, hoping to join the paramilitary forces. This foundation of hard work and ambition made her determined to set goals and achieve them. After the accident, instead of feeling hopeless, Arunima found inspiration in Mount Everest while recovering in the hospital. She decided to climb it, despite others doubting her. Her love for overcoming challenges through sports gave her the drive to train hard at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. The connection between her early dreams and her determination after the accident shows the story’s lesson: with determination and self-belief, we can turn challenges into opportunities, inspiring others to face their own difficulties with strength.

Q2: What challenges did Arunima face in her journey to climb Mount Everest, and how did she overcome them?
Ans: Arunima Sinha faced huge physical, emotional, and societal challenges while trying to climb Mount Everest, but she overcame them with strong determination, hard work, and support. After losing her leg in a train accident in 2011, she had to adjust to using a prosthetic leg, making the climb much harder. Many people doubted her ability to succeed, which could have affected her confidence. As a woman with a disability, she also faced challenges in a field full of able-bodied climbers. To tackle these, Arunima trained for 18 months at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering under the guidance of Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to climb Everest. Bachendri’s belief in her dream helped strengthen Arunima’s resolve. After months of tough training, Arunima successfully climbed Everest on May 21, 2013, becoming the first Indian woman with an artificial leg to reach the top. By planting the Indian flag and a photo of Swami Vivekananda at the summit, she celebrated her victory. Arunima’s story shows that with courage and hard work, we can overcome even the biggest challenges, inspiring readers to face their own struggles with determination and belief.

Q3: Why is Arunima’s achievement of conquering the Seven Summits significant, and how does it reflect her character?
Ans: Arunima Sinha’s achievement of climbing the Seven Summits—the highest peaks on each continent—shows her incredible determination. She became the first woman amputee to do this, starting with her summit of Mount Everest in 2013, despite the challenges of using a prosthetic leg. She then climbed mountains in Europe, Africa, Australia, South America, North America, and Antarctica, each with its own difficulties. This journey required not just physical strength, but also mental toughness to overcome doubts and obstacles. Arunima’s belief in herself and her courage helped her succeed, proving that she would not let her disability or society’s expectations limit her. Her accomplishment, especially climbing Mount Vinson, inspires people with disabilities and anyone facing tough challenges. Arunima’s story teaches that with determination, we can turn challenges into strengths and achieve our dreams.

Q4: How does Arunima’s story demonstrate the power of mental strength in overcoming physical limitations?
Ans: Arunima Sinha’s story shows how mental strength can help overcome physical challenges. After losing her leg in a train accident in 2011, she faced many difficulties with her prosthetic leg. Even everyday tasks were hard, but her determination, inspired by Swami Vivekananda, helped her keep going. She set her sights on climbing Mount Everest, even though many people thought it was impossible for her. During her 18 months of training, she pushed through pain and exhaustion. On May 21, 2013, she became the first Indian woman with an artificial leg to reach the summit of Everest. Later, she also climbed the Seven Summits, proving that belief in herself and hard work can help overcome even the toughest obstacles. Arunima’s journey teaches that mental strength can help you face any challenge and achieve great things.

Q5: What lessons about perseverance and self-belief can we learn from Arunima Sinha’s journey?
Ans: Arunima Sinha’s journey teaches important lessons about perseverance and self-belief. After losing her leg in a 2011 train accident, Arunima faced many physical and societal challenges that could have stopped her dreams. Instead, she was inspired by reading about Mount Everest and motivated by Swami Vivekananda’s teachings to set a goal of climbing the world’s highest peak. Despite scepticism from others, she trained for 18 months, enduring physical and mental challenges. On May 21, 2013, she became the first Indian woman amputee to summit Everest. Arunima didn’t stop there; she went on to conquer the Seven Summits, including Mount Vinson, by 2019, proving that determination and self-belief can overcome the toughest obstacles. Her story shows that with persistence and confidence, even the most difficult challenges can turn into great achievements. It inspires us to never give up on our dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem.