Conquering the Summit | CBSE Class 7 English Notes

This note covers the chapter "Conquering the Summit": a part-by-part summary, the main characters, the themes, key quotations, the language and style used, and answers to the textbook questions.

What is this chapter about?

"Conquering the Summit" is a non-fiction piece about Arunima Sinha, a national-level volleyball player who lost a leg in a train accident and went on to become the first Indian female amputee to scale Mount Everest. The chapter describes itself as "a story that narrates the triumph of will, courage, determination, and dedication."

It traces her journey from the accident on 11 April 2011, through eighteen months of training with mentor Bachendri Pal, to her 2013 summit of Everest and her later completion of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each of the seven continents, finished in January 2019 on Mount Vinson, Antarctica.

The piece is built around real events and direct quotations from Arunima herself and from Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to summit Everest. It also describes Arunima's background: she was from Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, her father was an army engineer, and her mother worked as a health supervisor, with sport already a significant part of family life.

It mentions her awards, including the Padma Shri, her autobiography, and an honorary doctorate conferred on her by the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, presenting her as an example of resilience and determination rather than as a fictional character.

What happens in the story, part by part?

The accident and its aftermath

In 2011, at the age of 24, Arunima Sinha, a national-level volleyball player, faced a life-altering event. On the night of 11 April 2011, she met with a train accident.

The hours that followed were harrowing, and she never imagined she would survive, but she did, showing an extraordinary will to live. One of her legs was amputated as a result of the accident.

The vow and the decision to climb Everest

As she lay in the hospital bed, Arunima made a vow that many would deem impossible: not only to walk again with a prosthetic leg but to scale Mount Everest. She received a prosthetic leg and underwent physiotherapy.

During this period, inspired by an article about Mount Everest, she resolved to conquer the highest peak in the world.

Family background and early career

Arunima hails from Ambedkar Nagar, a small district in Uttar Pradesh. Her father was an army engineer, and her mother worked as a health supervisor. Sport was a significant part of her family life, with the family having a natural inclination towards athletics.

After completing a law degree following her post-graduation, Arunima had decided to pursue a job in the paramilitary forces so that she could continue her passion for sport while having a regular income.

Training with Bachendri Pal

To pursue her ambition, Arunima completed a basic mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi, followed by eighteen months of rigorous training. She approached Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to summit Everest, to guide her in the endeavour.

Bachendri Pal instilled confidence in Arunima, telling her she had already "conquered the Everest within" herself even before the actual climb.

The summit of Everest

On 21 May 2013, after 52 exhausting days, Arunima Sinha reached the summit of Mount Everest. Standing at the top of the world, she felt a surge of emotions: pride, relief, and an overwhelming sense of achievement.

She displayed the Indian flag at the summit and left behind a photograph of her idol, Swami Vivekananda, whose teachings had inspired her throughout the journey.

The Seven Summits challenge

Arunima's feat did not end with Everest. By July 2016, she had summited seven peaks across Europe, Africa, Australia, South America, North America, and Asia (Everest). The seven peaks are named in the chapter as Elbrus (Europe), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Kosciuszko (Australia), Aconcagua (South America), Denali (North America), Everest (Asia), and Vinson (Antarctica).

In January 2019, she climbed the seventh peak, Mount Vinson in Antarctica, becoming the world's first female amputee to do so. Her goal to complete the Seven Summits was thus achieved.

Recognition and message

Arunima was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015, the fourth highest civilian award in India. She was also awarded the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award and the National Award for Best Female Mountaineer.

She was also conferred an honorary doctorate by the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. Her autobiography, Born Again on the Mountain: A Story of Losing Everything and Finding It Back, records her journey.

Her closing message reminds readers never to give up and always to remember their goals, and the chapter closes by saying she has "won people's hearts the world over, inspiring them to reach their own summits."

Who are the characters?

Arunima Sinha

Arunima Sinha is the subject of the chapter: a former national-level volleyball player from Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, whose father was an army engineer and mother a health supervisor. She lost a leg in a train accident on 11 April 2011.

She shows extraordinary fortitude, completing a law degree before the accident, then training for eighteen months at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering before climbing Everest in 2013. The chapter presents her as someone who turned adversity into achievement, going on to complete the Seven Summits by 2019.

By the end of the chapter, she holds an honorary doctorate, several national awards, and has written an autobiography, and her message to the world centres on setting worthy goals and working hard towards them rather than fearing failure.

Bachendri Pal

Bachendri Pal is introduced as the first Indian woman to summit Everest and the mentor whom Arunima approached to guide her in the endeavour of climbing Everest.

Her role in the chapter is brief but important: her words of encouragement, telling Arunima she had "conquered the Everest within" herself even before the climb began, represent the support and belief that helped Arunima pursue her ambition with confidence.

The chapter gives no further biographical detail about Bachendri Pal beyond her status as the first Indian woman to summit Everest and her role as Arunima's guide, but this single quotation is enough to establish her as a figure of experience and reassurance at a crucial turning point in the story.

What themes does the chapter explore?

Resilience and determination

The chapter's central theme is resilience: the ability to recover from a devastating setback. Arunima's decision to walk again and then climb the world's highest peak after losing a leg demonstrates how determination can overcome what seems impossible. The chapter explicitly calls her journey "a beacon of hope and resilience" and credits her story to "the triumph of will, courage, determination, and dedication."

The value of mentorship

Bachendri Pal's guidance and encouraging words show how mentorship and belief from an experienced person can strengthen someone's resolve before they attempt something difficult. Arunima actively sought out this guidance rather than training alone, suggesting that even extraordinary personal determination benefits from the support of someone who has already achieved a similar feat.

Redefining failure and goals

Arunima's own words redefine failure not as falling short of a goal but as not having a worthy goal at all. This theme encourages readers to set ambitious, meaningful goals and commit to them, rather than measuring themselves only by whether they succeed at an existing attempt.

Pride and inspiration beyond the self

Displaying the Indian flag at the summit and inspiring people "the world over" shows that her personal achievement became a source of national pride and inspiration for others, not just a private victory. The chapter frames her as having "won people's hearts the world over, inspiring them to reach their own summits," turning one woman's climb into a wider message of hope.

What are the key quotations?

"...you have conquered the Everest within you; the world will realise it later." (Bachendri Pal, encouraging Arunima)

"Never give up and work hard. Always remember your goal and work on it." (Arunima Sinha's message)

"Failure is not when we fall short of achieving our goals. It is when we don't have goals worthy enough." (Arunima Sinha, on failure)

"Never forget your goal, respect it, work hard, and you will be the winner." (Arunima Sinha)

"...stands as a beacon of hope and resilience." (describing Arunima's journey)

"...won people's hearts the world over, inspiring them to reach their own summits." (closing description of Arunima)

Each of these quotations marks a turning point in the chapter: Bachendri Pal's words come just before the climb, Arunima's message about never giving up follows the Seven Summits achievement, and her statement on failure appears near the end, alongside the mention of her honorary doctorate. Together they build the chapter's central idea that mental strength, clear goals and support from others matter as much as physical ability.

What language and style features appear in the chapter?

The chapter is written as a biographical, factual narrative rather than fiction, using dates (11 April 2011, 21 May 2013, July 2016, January 2019) and figures (52 days, eighteen months) to anchor the story in real events. This gives the account a documentary, trustworthy tone.

The writer uses direct quotations from both Bachendri Pal and Arunima Sinha to let the subjects speak in their own words, which adds authenticity and emotional weight, particularly around moments of encouragement and reflection on failure.

Several words are glossed for readers in the margin, such as beacon, resilience, amputated, harrowing and fortitude, showing that the text intentionally introduces abstract, emotionally charged vocabulary suited to a story of overcoming hardship.

The chapter also uses a dash within Bachendri Pal's quotation to link the acknowledgement of Arunima's situation with the statement of her inner strength, and it uses lists of continents and peaks (Europe, Africa, Australia, South America, North America and Asia) to convey the scale of the Seven Summits achievement efficiently within a short non-fiction piece.

Why is Arunima Sinha called a beacon of hope?

The chapter opens by describing Arunima's journey "from a devastating accident to scaling the highest peak in the world" as standing "as a beacon of hope and resilience".

A beacon is a source of inspiration, and the text supports this description with concrete evidence: she survived a life-threatening accident, learned to walk with a prosthetic leg, trained for eighteen months at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, and became the first Indian female amputee to climb Everest in 2013.

The chapter extends this idea beyond her own achievement, noting that she has "won people's hearts the world over, inspiring them to reach their own summits." This shows that her story is presented as a source of hope not only for people with disabilities but for anyone facing difficult circumstances, since the chapter frames her message as a general lesson about goals rather than a claim limited to mountaineering.

Her later recognition, including the Padma Shri in 2015 and the honorary doctorate from the University of Strathclyde, is presented as confirmation of this wider influence, reinforcing the idea that her personal recovery became a public example of what determination can achieve.

What does Bachendri Pal's guidance mean for the story?

Bachendri Pal, described as the first Indian woman to summit Everest, agreed to guide Arunima in her endeavour after Arunima had already completed a basic mountaineering course and eighteen months of rigorous training.

Her words, quoted directly in the chapter, told Arunima that she had already "conquered the Everest within" herself, with the decision to attempt the climb with a prosthetic leg being proof of this inner strength even before the physical climb began.

This moment matters in the structure of the chapter because it comes just before the account of the actual summit, on 21 May 2013. It suggests that mental preparation and self-belief, instilled partly through mentorship, were as important as physical training in Arunima's eventual success.

Because the chapter gives very little other detail about Bachendri Pal herself, her significance in the story lies entirely in this single act of guidance and encouragement at the right moment, showing how one experienced person's words can carry weight far beyond their length.

What does the chapter teach about goals and failure?

Towards the end, the chapter quotes Arunima's own definition of failure: "Failure is not when we fall short of achieving our goals. It is when we don't have goals worthy enough." This reframes failure away from the outcome of an attempt and towards the ambition behind it.

She continues: "Never forget your goal, respect it, work hard, and you will be the winner." The chapter presents this philosophy as the key to understanding her achievements, including completing the Seven Summits by climbing Mount Vinson in Antarctica in January 2019, several years after her original Everest ascent.

This idea connects back to her earlier message, "Never give up and work hard. Always remember your goal and work on it," which appears after the description of the Seven Summits. Read together, the two statements suggest that a worthy, clearly remembered goal, combined with sustained effort, matters more to Arunima than any single success or setback along the way.

The chapter also links this theme to her autobiography's title, calling her story "a testament to the human spirit's capacity to rise above the most challenging circumstances," which extends the lesson about goals into a broader statement about resilience in general.

What are the answers to the textbook questions?

1. What did Arunima do in order to fulfil her ambition of conquering Mount Everest? After receiving a prosthetic leg and undergoing physiotherapy, Arunima completed a basic mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, followed by eighteen months of rigorous training, and approached Bachendri Pal to guide her before attempting the climb.

2. Arunima is a beacon of hope and resilience. Support this with evidence from the text. Despite losing a leg in a train accident in 2011, she vowed to walk again and climb Everest, trained for eighteen months, reached the summit in 2013 as the first Indian female amputee to do so, and later completed the Seven Summits by 2019, inspiring people worldwide.

3. Arunima's autobiography is titled "Born Again on the Mountain: A Story of Losing Everything and Finding It Back". Why is this title appropriate? The title reflects how Arunima lost her leg and nearly her life in the accident, yet found a new purpose and identity through mountaineering, effectively being "born again" through her achievement on the mountain.

4. Arunima says, "Failure is when we don't have goals worthy enough." What would be the most likely impact of this statement on readers? It would likely encourage readers to set more ambitious, meaningful goals for themselves rather than fear failure, since the statement suggests that having no worthy goal is a greater failure than falling short of one.

5. Why was Bachendri Pal's guidance crucial to Arunima's journey? As the first Indian woman to summit Everest, Bachendri Pal had the experience to guide Arunima and gave her the confidence, through her encouraging words, that she had already overcome the hardest part of the challenge mentally before the physical climb began.

Glossary

• Beacon — a source of inspiration or guidance; here used to describe how Arunima's journey from accident to achievement gives others hope and courage to face their own difficulties.
• Resilience — the ability to recover quickly from a difficulty; the chapter presents Arunima's recovery after her accident and her eventual Everest climb as an example of this quality.
• Amputated — had a part of the body, here the leg, cut off; this happened to Arunima after her train accident on 11 April 2011.
• Prosthetic leg — an artificial leg that helps a person move around easily; Arunima received one after her leg was amputated and trained to climb mountains while using it.
• Feat — an achievement, often one needing skill, strength or courage; climbing Everest with a prosthetic leg is described as this kind of achievement by the chapter.
• Harrowing — extremely disturbing and painful; the chapter uses this word to describe the hours Arunima spent after her train accident, when she did not expect to survive.
• Rigorous — severe or demanding; the eighteen months of training Arunima underwent before attempting Everest is described using this word, showing how physically testing her preparation was.
• Endeavour — an attempt to do something, usually something difficult; Bachendri Pal agreed to guide Arunima in her endeavour of climbing Mount Everest after the accident.
• Surge — a sudden and great increase; Arunima felt a surge of pride, relief and achievement when she reached the summit of Everest after fifty-two exhausting days.
• Endurance — the ability to continue doing something difficult for a long time; the chapter says her story is about mental fortitude as much as physical endurance.
• Adversity — a difficult or unfortunate situation; Arunima's autobiography is described as a story of triumph over adversity and the human spirit's capacity to rise above hardship.
• Testament — proof or evidence of something; her life story is called a testament to the human spirit's ability to overcome extremely challenging circumstances.
• Conferred — given an official title or honour; Arunima was conferred with an honorary doctorate by the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, United Kingdom.
• Fortitude — courage shown over a long period of difficulty; the chapter credits Arunima's achievements to both physical endurance and this quality of sustained inner strength.

Common errors and misconceptions

• Misconception: Arunima Sinha was the first Indian woman to climb Everest. Correct: Bachendri Pal holds that distinction; Arunima is the first Indian female amputee to climb Everest.
• Misconception: Arunima climbed Everest soon after her accident. Correct: The accident was in 2011 and she reached the summit on 21 May 2013, after eighteen months of training and a 52-day climb.
• Misconception: The Seven Summits challenge was completed by 2013. Correct: Everest was climbed in 2013, but the full Seven Summits, including Mount Vinson in Antarctica, were completed only in January 2019.
• Misconception: Arunima lost both legs in the accident. Correct: The chapter states one leg was amputated.
• Misconception: The Padma Shri is India's highest civilian award. Correct: The chapter states it is the fourth highest civilian award.
• Misconception: Arunima's honorary doctorate was from an Indian university. Correct: It was conferred by the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
• Misconception: The photograph she left at the summit was of Bachendri Pal. Correct: It was a photograph of her idol, Swami Vivekananda.

Exam-style questions with model answers

Q1. In what year was Arunima Sinha's leg amputated following her accident? [1 mark]

1. The accident occurred on 11 April 2011, and it was in 2011 that her leg was amputated.

Q2. Name the award Arunima Sinha received in 2015, and state its rank among Indian civilian awards. [2 marks]

1. She received the Padma Shri in 2015.
2. The chapter describes it as the fourth highest civilian award in India.

Q3. Using the fact that Arunima reached the summit on 21 May 2013 after 52 exhausting days, describe what she did at the summit and the emotions she felt. [3 marks]

1. She felt a surge of pride, relief, and an overwhelming sense of achievement.
2. She displayed the Indian flag at the summit.
3. She left behind a photograph of her idol, Swami Vivekananda, whose teachings had inspired her.

Q4. Explain, with reference to the text, how Bachendri Pal's words before the climb reflect the chapter's theme of mentorship. [4 marks]

1. Bachendri Pal was the first Indian woman to summit Everest and agreed to guide Arunima.
2. She told Arunima she had already "conquered the Everest within" herself despite her prosthetic leg.
3. This instilled confidence in Arunima before her physical climb.
4. It shows that mentorship and belief from an experienced guide strengthened Arunima's mental preparation alongside her physical training.

Q5. Using the details that Arunima completed a basic mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering followed by eighteen months of training, and that she approached Bachendri Pal, describe the steps Arunima took to prepare for her climb. [5 marks]

1. After the accident and amputation, she received a prosthetic leg and underwent physiotherapy.
2. Inspired by an article about Mount Everest, she resolved to climb it.
3. She completed a basic mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi.
4. She then underwent eighteen months of rigorous training.
5. She approached Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to summit Everest, to guide her in the endeavour, who gave her confidence before the climb.

Q6. Given that Arunima completed the Seven Summits between her Everest climb in 2013 and climbing Mount Vinson in January 2019, trace her achievements across this period and explain why this is considered a remarkable feat. [6 marks]

1. She reached the summit of Everest in Asia on 21 May 2013.
2. By July 2016, she had summited peaks in Europe, Africa, Australia, South America and North America as well.
3. In January 2019, she climbed the seventh and final peak, Mount Vinson in Antarctica.
4. She became the world's first female amputee to climb Mount Vinson.
5. This completed her goal of climbing the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent.
6. It is remarkable because she achieved this with a prosthetic leg across widely different terrains and climates over several years, showing sustained endurance and fortitude rather than a single achievement.

Q7. Why do you think Arunima's autobiography is titled "Born Again on the Mountain: A Story of Losing Everything and Finding It Back"? [3 marks]

1. The title reflects the loss of her leg and near loss of her life in the accident.
2. It reflects how she found new purpose and achievement through mountaineering.
3. The phrase "born again" suggests she essentially started a new life and identity after the accident, centred on her mountaineering ambitions.

Q8. What is the likely impact of Arunima's statement "Failure is not when we fall short of achieving our goals. It is when we don't have goals worthy enough" on readers? [2 marks]

1. It would likely encourage readers to set more ambitious and meaningful goals for themselves.
2. It suggests that lacking worthy ambition is a greater failure than not achieving an existing goal, which may motivate readers to aim higher.

Key takeaways

• Arunima Sinha lost a leg in a train accident on 11 April 2011 and vowed to climb Mount Everest.
• She trained at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, for eighteen months before her climb.
• Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to summit Everest, guided and encouraged Arunima.
• Arunima reached the Everest summit on 21 May 2013 after 52 exhausting days.
• She displayed the Indian flag and left a photograph of Swami Vivekananda at the summit.
• She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015, India's fourth highest civilian award.
• By January 2019, she completed the Seven Summits, climbing Mount Vinson in Antarctica.
• Her philosophy redefines failure as the absence of a worthy goal, not falling short of one.

Test yourself

What accident changed Arunima Sinha's life, and when did it occur?

A train accident on the night of 11 April 2011 resulted in one of her legs being amputated.

Which institute did Arunima attend for her mountaineering course?

She completed a basic mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi.

Who guided Arunima for her Everest climb, and what was special about this person?

Bachendri Pal guided her; she was the first Indian woman to summit Everest.

On what date did Arunima reach the summit of Everest, and how long had the climb taken?

She reached the summit on 21 May 2013, after 52 exhausting days.

What did Arunima leave behind at the summit, and whose photograph was it?

She left behind a photograph of her idol, Swami Vivekananda.

Which award did Arunima receive in 2015, and what is its rank?

She received the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India.

What achievement did Arunima complete in January 2019?

She climbed Mount Vinson in Antarctica, becoming the first female amputee to do so, and completed the Seven Summits.

What is the title of Arunima's autobiography?

Born Again on the Mountain: A Story of Losing Everything and Finding It Back.