Nellimetla youth conquers Mount Everest

Addathigala: Despite poverty, a tough life during the student days and severe struggle for survival, a youth of an interior village of Nellimetla in Rajavommangi mandal in Rampachodavaram divison, Borage Prasanna Kumar, was able to scale the Mount Everest on May 17 at 4.30 am.

The youngster proudly waved the tri-colour at 4.30 am to mark his phenomenal achievement, as he has just written the first year Inter examination as a student of Rampachodavaram Gurukul College. The villagers are thrilled at his remarkable feat, despite the fact that his poor father was not able to provide any financial assistance.

Kumar’s achievement is all the more significant as he suffered from epilepsy while studying Class IX. He had to stop study for two years while getting traditional treatment because of lack of money.

He resumed study after two years and took up mountaineering in three phases despite facing extreme poverty, hunger with lot of guts. Kumar’s scaling of Everest has brought his village to centre stage, with the residents shedding tears of joy.

Even during his school days, Kumar had to skip food once a day because of poverty. Yet he was determined achieve the lofty aim of going up the highest peak in the world.

When he told his father about his aim the latter cautioned stating that the family’s status did not permit to undertake the herculean task, at a time when pursuing education itself was difficult. He bluntly said he could not afford to spare money even to meet the expenses, thus pouring water over Kumar’s hopes.

However, he did not give up. The youngster approached the central office of the Gurukul College in Vijayawada for a special training with the guidance of his teachers. He was also a beneficiary of financial assistance provided by some residents of Nellimetla.

By Adapa Appa rao