Teenaged Everest challenger knocks on doors for funds

KATHMANDU - She had been frantically trying to meet Bollywood’s reigning badshahs Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar, though Bhagyashree Sawant is no star-struck autograph hunter. The 18-year-old from Maharashtra has been knocking on the door of the megabuck Indian film industry hoping they would financially support her plan to summit Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world.

But to no avail.

“I contacted Red Chillies (the entertainment company owned by Shah Rukh Khan) and someone asked me to mail them my request,” said Bhagyashree as she trains in Kathmandu for the Everest climb.

“But there has not been any answer so far. In Mumbai, people are so busy, it’s difficult to catch them,” Bhagyashree told IANS here.

Now, the blue belt in karate and avowed cyclist is keeping her fingers crossed hoping her parents would be able to raise the money.

Of the nearly Rs.3 million required, the Sawants have been able to collect only Rs.600,000, one-third of which has already been spent on equipment.

“I received Rs.100,000 from the chief minister’s fund.

“And the sports ministry in New Delhi has promised it would raise some funding through the International Mountaineering Foundation. But the corporate houses said their funds were tied up as this is the closing of the financial year,” Bhagyashree said.

The five-foot-two-inch girl, who weighs 43 kg, would become the youngest Indian woman to scale Everest if she succeeds, breaking the record set last year by fellow Maharashtrian Krushnaa Patil.

The Eco Everest 2010 expedition, which Bhagyashree hopes to join if the funds come through, has two more Indians — 30-year-old physical education teacher from Haryana Mamata Sodah and 16-year-old New Delhi school boy Arjun Vajai, who would become the youngest Indian male if he reaches the 8,848m peak.

The Class 12 student of the Maharshi Dayanand College dropped her final exams in February for her dream to summit Mount Everest.

“Every time I sat down to study I would dream of Everest.

“My mother realised how pressurised I was and said I could drop the exam this year. She said, ‘you can always appear for the exam another time. Go after Everest now’,” the elfin athlete said.

Bhagyashree had her first introduction to Everest when she was in Class 4.

Her English textbook carried an article by Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to scale Everest. Three years later, the teenager had a glimpse of the peak during an excursion to Mussoorie.

Bhagyashree said she joined the Eco Everest 2010 expedition because of its green factor. She likes to cycle to reachable destinations and when it’s too far, she always chooses mass public transport instead of taxis.

Her ideal is Mother Teresa, who dedicated her life to peace and humanity.

Bhagyashree herself volunteers at Manthan, a local organisation for children and juvenile delinquents that takes disadvantaged children on joyful day-trips.

Bhagyashree, however, does not aim to be a record-setter.

“I will be more than happy if other Indian teenagers break my record,” she said.

“No one in Mumbai is interested in sports and adventure. They are only focused on studies. I hope if I summit I will be able to inspire them to at least participate in some adventure camps,” Bhagyashree said.

(Sudeshna Sarkar can be contacted at sudeshna.s@ians.in)