she was thrown off a moving train when sheresisted a group of robbers.
On 21 May, she stood on top of the world, defying all conceivable
odds, andachieved what was unthinkable to many.
"I turned my artificial leg into my strength and stubbornly chose the
most difficult sport for myself," says Ms Sinha, a former
national-level volleyballplayer.
There are inspiring words from an extraordinary woman. Also, a
stunning demonstration of how she turned her supposed weakness into a
winning force.
"When I reached the summit, I felt like screaming at the top of my
voice. I wanted to tell the world: here I am. I have saved that moment
inside me," shesays.
"Actually, my screaming did not last long. You see, I didn't have much
energy left. Had I been a painter, I would have tried to capture that
image on a canvas," she adds.
Darkest hour
Just two years ago, Ms Sinha says it washer "darkest hour". Her life
changed when she was "pushed out of the train" after she refused to
hand over her gold chain to robbers.
Police disputed her version - they said she was either attempting
suicide or had jumped out to evade arrest for travelling without a
valid ticket. The fate of the case is unknown.
Ms Sinha was admitted to hospital with serious leg and pelvic
injuries. Doctors had to amputate her left leg below the knee to save
her life. A rod had to be inserted inside her leg to provide support
to the damaged limb.
"I was shattered. Here was someone who was totally independent, and
now Iwas dependent on others for support. Visitors who came to see me
at the hospital showed sympathy. But then I decided to do something
that would inspire others."
She says her family's support gave her immense confidence.
"I decided to challenge myself with the toughest sport. And I chased
my dream with passion." Equipped with a prosthetic leg and an iron
will, Ms Sinharang up Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to scale
Mount Everest in 1984, as soon as the hospital discharged her four
months later.
She had read about Pal but did not know her personally. Pal heads an
adventure foundation, supported by India's Tata Steel company, in the
city of Jamshedpur in the eastern state of Jharkhand.
Sinha underwent a year of rigorous training in Uttarkashi in the
northern state of Uttarakhand which demanded toughness - both physical
and mental.
"I felt low when I couldn't catch up with other 'normal' able-bodied
people. But I was determined to outpace them. And I did," she says.
It took her 52 days of torturous climbing on the snowy peaks to
conquer the 8,850m summit.
At one point, fearing that her energy and oxygen levels were depleting
fast, her team leader suggested that she return. But she refused.
While descending, she began to sweat so profusely that at one point
she felt the prosthetic leg would slip out.
"I couldn't take off my gloves to support the leg for fear of
frostbite, so Idragged myself till the camp," she says.
Ms Sinha has dedicated her achievement "to those who lose hope".
She is now busy with plans to open a sports academy for the poor and
physically challenged children. For this purpose, she has already
bought a pieceof land in Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh.
"I want to train these children so that they achieve their dream. This
is my dream too," she says.
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