This unassuming girl from Pakala village in Nizamabad district scaled the world's highest peak on May 25, 2014, thereby becoming the youngest to achieve the feat! Malavath Poorna, along with Sadhanapalli Anand Kumar(in picture below), was handpicked from among 108 climbers by the Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Residential Schools, a government organization which provides free education to underprivileged groups in the society.
A grueling 52-day long expedition made the two young Telangana climbers achieve the organization's challenge to send tribal children to the Everest! The Himalayan quest for Poorna and Anand began with a five-day rock climbing camp in Bhongir, Nalgonda district, in September 2013. It was a climb of 650 feet, which might seem like an anthill next to the Everest, but this is where the teens gained confidence.
Poorna received the Ruby Jubilee Healthcare award for her efforts; her father Devidas accepted it on her behalf as she was giving her 10th Standard examinations.
Poorna and Anand are no city kids going to fancy schools where perhaps mountaineering classes happen at hobby time. Poorna's parents are agricultural workers while Anand's father is a cycle repair shop owner. But the sheer determination they displayed to go on this tough expedition deserves our respect!
Here is a video which documents Poorna's brave expedition into the unknown!
A movie based Poorna's extraordinary adventure released recently. Catch the movie at a screen near you.
