REACH FOR THE TOP (Santosh Yadav)

REACH FOR THE TOP

(Santosh Yadav)

1. Why was the 'holy man' who gave Santosh's mother his blessings surprised?

Ans. The holy man who gave Santosh's mother his blessing was surprised when her grandmother told him that they did not want a son but a daughter.

2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable.

Ans. Where other girls of the area wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. Thus from the very beginning she was quite determined to choose a correct and a rational path.

3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school?

Ans. Santosh was sent to the local school due to the prevailing system in the family. However, her parents were affluent landowners and could afford to send their children to the best schools.

4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why?

Ans. When she turned sixteen, she left home for Delhi because she was under pressure to get married. But she threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get proper education. So she left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.

5. Why did Santosh's parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by this incident?

Ans. Santosh politely informed her parents that she would earn money by working part-time to pay the expenses of her schooling in Delhi. Then they agreed to pay for her schooling. This incident brought out the mental qualities of Santosh - modern outlook, firm determination, hard-working, honesty and adventurous zeal.

6. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?

Ans. Santosh began to climb mountains when she was a student at Maharani College, Jaipur. She used to live in Kasturba Hostel. She used to see villagers climbing mountains from her room. One day she went to the hills, but she found only a few mountaineers there. She asked them if she could also join them. They replied in affirmative and also motivated her to take to climbing. Thus, she began to climb mountains.

7 What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh's concern for her team-mates?

Ans. It was during the 1992 Everest mission that Santosh provided special care to a climber who lay dying at the South Col. She did not succeed to save him. However, she managed to save another climber, Mohan Singh. She shared her oxygen with him and saved his life. These incidents show Santosh's concern for her team-mates.

8. What shows her concern for the environment?

Ans. Santosh had a strong and sincere feeling for the environment. She collected and brought down 500 kilograms garbage from the Himalayas. She worked hard for this cause. This shows her great concern for the environment.

9. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?

Ans. She describes her feelings at the summit of Everest. She unfurled the Indian tricolour and held it up high on the roof of the world. The feeling was indescribable. The Indian flag was on the top of the world. She felt proud as an Indian.

10. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mount Everest. What were the reasons for this?

Ans. Santosh Yaday's name got into the record books both times she scaled Mount Everest. The reasons for this were:

(a) She scaled Mount Everest at barely twenty years of age and became the youngest woman in the world to achieve that feat.

(b) Having scaled Mount Everest for the second time, she set a world record to be the only woman of the world to have conquered the Everest twice.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTION

Q.Write a brief character-sketch of 'Santosh Yadav'.

Ans. Santosh Yadav was born in a small village of Rewari, Haryana. Even as a child she was bold. Rest of the girls in her village wore traditional dresses. But Santosh wore shorts. She was determined. She wanted to do higher studies. She went to Delhi and got admission in a school against her parents' wish. She was convincing by nature. She convinced her parents to send her to Jaipur for graduation. She was also curious by nature. She happened to meet some mountaineers. They inspired her to join mountaineering. She was a strong lady with a strong will power. She succeeded in scaling Mt. Everest twice. Thus, she set a record as the only woman who had scaled the Everest twice. She was cooperative by nature. She used to help her fellow mountaineers in many ways. Santosh Yadav was a true environmentalist. She collected and brought down 500 kilograms garbage from the Himalayas.