This chapter tells inspiring biographical accounts of two extraordinary women who reached the pinnacle of success in their respective fields through determination and hard work. Part I tells the story of Santosh Yadav, the only woman to climb Mount Everest twice, while Part II focuses on Maria Sharapova, who became the world number one in women’s tennis at a young age.
Part I – Santosh Yadav
Early Life and Family Background
The only woman in the world who has scaled Mt Everest twice was born in a society where the birth of a son was regarded as a blessing, and a daughter, though not considered a curse, was not generally welcome.
The Blessing Incident:
When Santosh’s mother was expecting her, a travelling holy man giving her his blessing assumed that she wanted a son. But to everyone’s surprise, the unborn child’s grandmother, who was standing close by, told him that they did not want a son. The holy man was also surprised. Nevertheless, he gave the requested blessing and as destiny would have it, the blessing seemed to work.
Birth and Naming:
Santosh was born the sixth child in a family with five sons, a sister to five brothers. She was born in the small village of Joniyawas of Rewari District in Haryana. The girl was given the name Santosh which means contentment.
Childhood and Early Determination
But Santosh was not always content with her place in a traditional way of life. She began living life on her own terms from the start.
Early Signs of Independence:
Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. Looking back, she says now that from the very beginning she was quite determined that if she chose a correct and a rational path, the others around me had to change, not me.
Education and Fight Against Tradition
Santosh’s parents were affluent landowners who could afford to send their children to the best schools, even to the country’s capital New Delhi which was quite close by. But in line with the prevailing custom in the family, Santosh had to make do with the local village school.
Decision to Fight the System:
She decided to fight the system in her own quiet way when the right moment arrived. And the right moment came when she turned sixteen. At sixteen, most of the girls in her village used to get married. Santosh was also under pressure from her parents to do the same.
Standing Up for Education:
A marriage as early as that was the last thing on her mind. She threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get a proper education. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.
Parents’ Response:
When her parents refused to pay for her education, she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part time to pay her school fees. Her parents then agreed to pay for her education.
Higher Education and Discovery of Mountaineering
Wishing always to study a bit more and with her father slowly getting used to her urge for more education, Santosh passed the high school examinations and went to Jaipur. She joined Maharani College and got a room in Kasturba Hostel.
The Discovery:
Santosh remembers that Kasturba Hostel faced the Aravalli Hills. She used to watch villagers from her room, going up the hill and suddenly vanishing after a while. One day she decided to check it out herself. She found nobody except a few mountaineers. She asked if she could join them. To her pleasant surprise, they answered in the affirmative and motivated her to take to climbing.
Training and Early Expeditions
Then there was no looking back for this determined young girl. She saved money and enrolled in a course at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.
Commitment to Training:
Her college semester in Jaipur was to end in April but it ended on the nineteenth of May. And she was supposed to be in Uttarkashi on the twenty-first. So, she did not go back home; instead, she headed straight for the training. She had to write a letter of apology to her father without whose permission she had got herself enrolled at Uttarkashi.
Development of Skills:
Thereafter, Santosh went on an expedition every year. Her climbing skills matured rapidly. Also, she developed a remarkable resistance to cold and the altitude. Equipped with an iron will, physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness, she proved herself repeatedly.
First Everest Conquest
The culmination of her hard work and sincerity came in 1992, just four years after she had shyly asked the Aravalli mountaineers if she could join them. At barely twenty years of age, Santosh Yadav scaled Mt Everest, becoming the youngest woman in the world to achieve the feat.
Qualities That Made Her Special:
If her climbing skills, physical fitness, and mental strength impressed her seniors, her concern for others and desire to work together with them found her a special place in the hearts of fellow climbers.
Humanitarian Efforts During Everest Expeditions
During the 1992 Everest mission, Santosh Yadav provided special care to a climber who lay dying at the South Col. She was unfortunately unsuccessful in saving him. However, she managed to save another climber, Mohan Singh, who would have met with the same fate had she not shared her oxygen with him.
Second Everest Conquest and Recognition
Within twelve months, Santosh found herself a member of an Indo-Nepalese Women’s Expedition that invited her to join them. She then scaled the Everest a second time, thus setting a record as the only woman to have scaled the Everest twice, and securing for herself and India a unique place in the annals of mountaineering.
National Recognition:
In recognition of her achievements, the Indian government bestowed upon her one of the nation’s top honours, the Padmashri.
Feelings at the Summit
Describing her feelings when she was literally on top of the world, Santosh has said that it took some time for the enormity of the moment to sink in. Then she unfurled the Indian tricolour and held it aloft on the roof of the world. The feeling is indescribable. The Indian flag was flying on top of the world. It was truly a spiritual moment. She felt proud as an Indian.
Environmental Consciousness
Also a fervent environmentalist, Santosh collected and brought down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas.
Part II – Maria Sharapova
A Russian girl, Maria Sharapova, reached the summit of women’s tennis when she was barely eighteen. As you read about her, see if you can draw a comparison between her and Santosh Yadav.
Matching Words and Phrases:
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| something disarming | something that makes you feel friendly, taking away your suspiciousness |
| at odds with | in contrast to; not agreeing with |
| glamorous attire | attractive and exciting clothes |
| in almost no time | quickly, almost immediately |
| poised beyond her years | more calm, confident and in control than people of her age usually are |
| packed off | sent off |
| launched | started |
| heart wrenching | causing strong feelings of sadness |
Rise to the Top
There is something disarming about Maria Sharapova, something at odds with her ready smile and glamorous attire. And that something in her lifted her on Monday, 22 August 2005 to the world number one position in women’s tennis.
Rapid Success:
All this happened in almost no time. Poised beyond her years, the Siberian born teenager took just four years as a professional to reach the pinnacle.
The Beginning – Sacrifice and Separation
However, the rapid ascent in a fiercely competitive world began nine years before with a level of sacrifice few children would be prepared to endure.
Separation from Mother:
Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States. That trip to Florida with her father Yuri launched her on the path to success and stardom. But it also required a heart-wrenching two-year separation from her mother Yelena. The latter was compelled to stay back in Siberia because of visa restrictions.
Important Lesson:
The nine-year-old girl had already learnt an important lesson in life that tennis excellence would only come at a price.
Loneliness and Hardship
Maria Sharapova recalls how she used to be so lonely. She missed her mother terribly. Her father was working as much as he could to keep her tennis training going. So he couldn’t see her either.
Bullying and Humiliation:
Because she was so young, she used to go to bed at 8 p.m. The other tennis pupils would come in at 11 p.m. and wake her up and order her to tidy up the room and clean it.
Building Mental Toughness
Instead of letting that depress her, she became more quietly determined and mentally tough. She learnt how to take care of herself. She never thought of quitting because she knew what she wanted.
Her Philosophy:
When you come from nothing and you have nothing, then it makes you very hungry and determined. She would have put up with much more humiliation and insults than that to steadfastly pursue her dream.
Toughness as Key to Success
That toughness runs through Maria even today. It was the key to her bagging the women’s singles crown at Wimbledon in 2004 and to her meteoric rise to the world number one spot the following year.
Competitive Spirit
While her journey from the frozen plains of Siberia to the summit of women’s tennis has touched the hearts of tennis fans, for the youngster herself there appears to be no room for sentiment.
Her Mantra:
The straight looks and the answers she gives when asked about her ambition make it amply clear that she considers the sacrifices were worth it. She says she is very, very competitive. She works hard at what she does. It’s her job. This is her mantra for success.
National Identity
Though Maria Sharapova speaks with a pronounced American accent, she proudly parades her Russian nationality.
Her Statement:
Clearing all doubts, she says she is Russian. It’s true that the U.S. is a big part of her life. But she has Russian citizenship. Her blood is totally Russian. She will play the Olympics for Russia if they want her.
Personal Interests
Like any number of teenaged sensations, Maria Sharapova lists fashion, singing and dancing as her hobbies. She loves reading the novels of Arthur Conan Doyle. Her fondness for sophisticated evening gowns appears at odds with her love of pancakes with chocolate spread and fizzy orange drinks.
Unique Personality and Success
Maria Sharapova cannot be pigeon-holed or categorised. Her talent, unwavering desire to succeed and readiness to sacrifice have lifted her to the top of the world. Few would grudge her the riches she is now reaping.
Her View on Money:
This is what she has to say about her monetary gains from tennis: Of course money is a motivation. Tennis is a business and a sport, but the most important thing is to become number one in the world. That’s the dream that kept her going.
Questions and Answers
Part I – Santosh Yadav
I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each:
1. Why was the holy man who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised?
The holy man was surprised because he had assumed that Santosh’s mother wanted a son, as was customary in that society. But Santosh’s grandmother, who was standing close by, told him that they did not want a son. This was unusual and unexpected, which surprised the holy man.
2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable.
Even as a young girl, Santosh showed her independent thinking by preferring to wear shorts while other girls wore traditional Indian dresses. She was determined that if she chose a correct and rational path, the others around her had to change, not her. This shows she would not accept unreasonable traditions.
3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school?
Santosh was sent to the local village school because in line with the prevailing custom in the family, girls were not sent to schools in the city even though her parents were affluent landowners who could afford to send their children to the best schools. The family followed traditional practices regarding girls’ education.
4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why?
Santosh left home for Delhi when she turned sixteen. At that age, most girls in her village were getting married, and her parents were also pressuring her to do the same. Marriage was the last thing on her mind, so she left home to get herself enrolled in a school in Delhi to get a proper education.
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?
Santosh’s parents agreed to pay for her schooling in Delhi when she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part time to pay her school fees. This incident brings to light her determination, independence, resourcefulness, and strong will. It shows she was ready to work hard and support herself rather than give up on her dream of education. Her polite but firm approach also shows her maturity and ability to stand up for what she believed in.
II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words):
1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?
While staying at Kasturba Hostel in Jaipur, Santosh used to watch villagers from her room going up the Aravalli Hills and vanishing. One day she decided to check it out herself. She found some mountaineers there, asked if she could join them, and they motivated her to take to climbing. This is how she began her journey in mountaineering.
2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her team-mates?
During the 1992 Everest mission, Santosh provided special care to a climber who lay dying at the South Col, though she was unsuccessful in saving him. She also saved another climber, Mohan Singh, by sharing her oxygen with him when he would have otherwise met the same fate. These incidents show her deep concern for her team-mates and her humanitarian nature.
3. What shows her concern for the environment?
Santosh’s concern for the environment is shown by the fact that she is a fervent environmentalist who collected and brought down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas. This action demonstrates her commitment to keeping the mountains clean and preserving the environment for future generations.
4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?
Santosh describes that it took some time for the enormity of the moment to sink in. Then she unfurled the Indian tricolour and held it aloft on the roof of the world. She says the feeling is indescribable. It was truly a spiritual moment when the Indian flag was flying on top of the world, and she felt proud as an Indian.
5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt Everest. What were the reasons for this?
The first time Santosh scaled Mt Everest in 1992, she became the youngest woman in the world to achieve this feat at barely twenty years of age. The second time, within twelve months, she scaled Everest again and set a record as the only woman to have scaled the Everest twice, securing for herself and India a unique place in the annals of mountaineering.
III. Complete the following statements:
1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to
watch villagers going up the Aravalli Hills and suddenly vanishing after a while, which made her curious to check it out herself.
2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because
she had got herself enrolled at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering without his permission and had headed straight for the training instead of going back home.
3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her
climbing skills, physical fitness, and mental strength, while her concern for others and desire to work together with them endeared her to fellow climbers.
IV. Pick out words from the text that mean the same as the following:
- took to be true without proof (1): assumed
- based on reason; sensible; reasonable (2): rational
- the usual way of doing things (3): custom
- a strong desire arising from within (5): urge
- the power to endure, without falling ill (7): resistance
Part II – Maria Sharapova
Working in small groups, complete the table comparing Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova:
| Points of Comparison/Contrast | Santosh Yadav | Maria Sharapova |
|---|---|---|
| Their humble beginning | Born in small village of Joniyawas in Haryana in a traditional society | Born in frozen plains of Siberia, came from nothing |
| Their parents’ approach | Initially followed traditional customs but later supported her education when she stood firm | Father sacrificed everything to support her training; mother separated due to visa restrictions |
| Their will power and strong desire to succeed | Determined from beginning; chose rational path and expected others to change; fought system quietly | Became quietly determined and mentally tough despite loneliness and humiliation; never thought of quitting |
| Evidence of their mental toughness | Enrolled in mountaineering without father’s permission; developed iron will and remarkable resistance; saved fellow climber | Endured two-year separation from mother; bore humiliation from senior tennis pupils; would have endured more to pursue dream |
| How they began their career | Saw mountaineers from hostel window and asked to join them; saved money and enrolled in training | Packed off to U.S. at age nine for tennis training with father |
| What they sacrificed | Comfortable life with family; had to write apology letter to father; went against traditions | Two years without mother; loneliness; humiliation from other pupils; normal childhood |
| Their journey to the top | Four years from joining mountaineers to conquering Everest; became youngest woman; then only woman to scale twice | Nine years of sacrifice; four years as professional to reach number one; won Wimbledon 2004 |
| Their patriotism | Felt proud to unfurl Indian flag on Everest; spiritual moment; brought honor to India | Though speaks with American accent, proudly parades Russian nationality; will play Olympics for Russia |
Thinking about Language
I. Identify the two parts in the sentences below:
1. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts.
Part that contrasts: Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses
Main action: Santosh preferred shorts
2. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.
First action: She left home
What happened next: got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi
3. She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived.
Main decision: She decided to fight the system
When it happened: when the right moment arrived
4. Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States.
What had not happened: Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday
When she was sent: when she was packed off to train in the United States
II. Rewrite the pairs of sentences as one sentence:
1. Grandfather told me about the old days. All books were printed on paper then.
Grandfather told me about the old days when all books were printed on paper.
2. What do you do after you finish the book? Perhaps you just throw it away.
After you finish the book, perhaps you just throw it away.
3. He gave the little girl an apple. He took the computer apart.
He gave the little girl an apple and took the computer apart.
4. You have nothing. That makes you very determined.
When you have nothing, that makes you very determined.
5. I never thought of quitting. I knew what I wanted.
I never thought of quitting because I knew what I wanted.
Dictation – The Raincoat
After four years of drought in a small town in the Northeast, the Vicar gathered everyone together for a pilgrimage to the mountain, where they would pray together and ask for the rain to return.
The priest noticed a boy in the group wearing a raincoat. He asked if the boy had gone mad, saying it hadn’t rained in this region for five years and the heat would kill him climbing the mountain.
The boy replied that he had a cold. If they were going to ask God for rain, he wanted to be prepared for the way back from the mountain because it was going to be such a downpour.
At that moment a great crash was heard in the sky and the first drops began to fall. A boy’s faith was enough to bring about a miracle that not even those most prepared truly believed in.
Speaking
Imagine that you are Santosh Yadav or Maria Sharapova. You have been invited to speak at an All India Girls’ Athletic Meet as chief guest. Prepare a short speech to motivate the girls to think and dream big and make an effort to fulfil their dreams, not allowing difficulties or defeat to discourage them.
Words and phrases to help:
- self confident, confidence, sure of yourself
- self assured, assurance, belief in yourself
- morale, boost morale, raise morale
- giving somebody a boost, fillip, lift
- demoralising, unsure of yourself, insecure, lack confidence
Writing
Task I: Comparing Top Women Tennis Players
Working in pairs, write a short article for your school magazine comparing and contrasting the top women tennis players since 1975 in terms of their duration at the top. Mention qualities that may be responsible for their brief or long stay at the top spot.
Analysis of Data:
- Chris Evert (U.S.) was ranked number one from 3 November 1975 and stayed at top for 362 weeks
- Martina Navratilova (U.S.) ranked from 10 July 1978 for 331 weeks
- Steffi Graf (Germany) from 17 August 1987 for 377 weeks – longest duration
- Martina Hingis (Switzerland) from 31 March 1997 for 209 weeks
- Maria Sharapova (Russia) from 22 August 2005 for just 1 week initially
Qualities for sustained success: consistency, mental toughness, physical fitness, ability to handle pressure, dedication to training, ability to evolve game strategy.
Task II: Describing Santosh Yadav’s Character
Use these words to describe Santosh: contented, determined, resourceful, weak-willed, fearful, independent, polite, adventurous, considerate, pessimistic, patient, persevering.
Santosh Yadav was a determined and independent woman who lived life on her own terms. She was resourceful in finding ways to pursue her education when her parents initially refused support. She showed perseverance by continuing her mountaineering training despite challenges. Santosh was considerate and humane, as shown when she tried to save fellow climbers and shared her oxygen. She was adventurous, joining mountaineers without knowing what lay ahead. She was polite yet firm when dealing with her parents about her education. Her patience and persevering nature helped her develop climbing skills over years of expeditions.
On Killing a Tree – Complete Notes
This work by Gieve Patel presents a powerful message about the resilience of trees and the difficulty of destroying them completely. The writing describes in detail the process required to truly kill a tree, emphasizing that simple cutting or hacking is not enough. The message highlights both the strength of nature and raises questions about human destruction of the environment.
Understanding the Message
The Resilience of Trees
It takes much time to kill a tree. Not a simple jab of the knife will do it. The tree has grown slowly consuming the earth, rising out of it, feeding upon its crust, absorbing years of sunlight, air, and water. And out of its leprous hide, it keeps sprouting leaves.
This tells us that trees are not easily destroyed. They have deep connection with earth and have spent years growing by absorbing nutrients, sunlight, air and water. Even if the bark appears diseased (leprous hide), the tree continues to produce leaves, showing its life force.
Inadequacy of Surface Damage
The writing continues explaining that people can hack and chop the tree, but this alone won’t do it. Not so much pain will kill it. The bleeding bark will heal. And from close to the ground will rise curled green twigs, miniature boughs which if unchecked will expand again to former size.
This means that merely cutting the tree or causing surface damage is not enough. The bark that bleeds when cut will heal itself. New growth will emerge from near the ground – small green shoots and branches that will grow back to the tree’s original size if left alone. The tree has remarkable regenerative powers.
Complete Destruction Process
The message states that the root is to be pulled out, out of the anchoring earth. It is to be roped, tied, and pulled out, snapped out or pulled out entirely from the earth-cave. Then the strength of the tree is exposed – the source, white and wet, the most sensitive part hidden for years inside the earth.
This explains that to truly kill a tree, its root must be completely removed from the earth where it is anchored. The root must be tied with ropes and pulled or snapped out from its cave in the earth. Only when the root – the white, wet, sensitive source of the tree’s life that has been protected underground for years – is exposed, can the tree be killed.
Final Stage
Then comes the matter of scorching and choking in sun and air, browning, hardening, twisting, withering. And then it is done.
Once the root is exposed and removed from earth, it must be left in sun and air where it will scorch and choke. It will turn brown, become hard, twist, and wither away. Only after this complete process is the tree finally killed.
Glossary
| Word/Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| jab | sudden rough blow |
| leprous hide | discoloured bark resembling leprosy disease |
| hack | cut roughly by striking heavy blows |
| anchoring earth | Trees are held securely with help of roots in earth |
| snapped out | chopped out |
| scorching and choking | the drying up of tree after being uprooted |
Questions and Answers
1. Can a simple jab of the knife kill a tree? Why not?
No, a simple jab of the knife cannot kill a tree. This is because a tree has grown slowly over many years by consuming the earth, feeding upon its crust, and absorbing years of sunlight, air and water. The tree has deep roots and strong life force. A simple cut or jab only causes surface damage. The bleeding bark will heal and new growth will emerge from near the ground. The tree has remarkable power to regenerate itself.
2. How has the tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.
The tree has grown to its full size slowly over many years by consuming the earth, rising out of it, feeding upon its crust, and absorbing years of sunlight, air, and water.
Words suggestive of life and activity: grown, consuming, rising, feeding, absorbing, sprouting.
3. What is the meaning of bleeding bark? What makes it bleed?
Bleeding bark refers to the sap or liquid that oozes out from the tree’s bark when it is cut or hacked. It is compared to bleeding because it flows out like blood from a wound. The bark bleeds when people hack and chop the tree with knives or axes, causing damage to the outer protective layer of the tree.
4. The poet says No in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?
By saying No at the beginning of the third stanza, the message emphasizes that merely hacking and chopping the tree is not enough to kill it. The previous lines described how the tree can be cut and will bleed, but the message firmly states this is inadequate. The tree will heal and new growth will emerge. To truly kill the tree, one must go further and remove the root completely from the earth.
5. What is the meaning of anchoring earth and earth cave?
Anchoring earth refers to the soil in which the tree’s roots are firmly fixed and held securely. The roots anchor or hold the tree steady in the ground, preventing it from falling.
Earth cave refers to the deep hole or space in the earth where the root has been growing for years, hidden and protected underground. It is like a cave that shelters the most sensitive part of the tree.
6. What does he mean by the strength of the tree exposed?
The strength of the tree exposed means that when the root is pulled out from the earth, the source of the tree’s life and power is revealed. The root is the most important part that has been hidden safely underground for years. It is white, wet, and sensitive. Once this root is exposed to open air and sun, the tree loses its strength and life source. The root is what gives the tree its ability to survive and grow.
7. What finally kills the tree?
What finally kills the tree is the complete uprooting of its root system followed by exposure to the elements. First, the root must be pulled out entirely from the anchoring earth where it has been protected. Then the exposed root must be left in the sun and air where it undergoes scorching and choking. The root browns, hardens, twists, and withers away. Only after this complete process of uprooting and withering is the tree finally killed. Simply cutting or hacking the visible parts is not enough.
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