Arunima Sinha

Sinha is an Indian mountaineer and former national-level volleyball and football player known for her contributions to adaptive sports and disability advocacy. Sinha is recognized as the world's first female amputee to summit Mount Everest and the highest peaks on multiple continents, achievements that have positioned her as a prominent figure in mountaineering and sports for people with disabilities.

Sinha began her athletic career as a national-level volleyball player. Her life changed dramatically after an incident during a train journey from Lucknow to Delhi, when she was attacked by robbers and pushed from a moving train. The resulting injuries included multiple spinal fractures and a crushed leg, which required amputation below the knee. While undergoing treatment at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Sinha resolved to climb Mount Everest. She trained at TATA Steel Adventure Foundation under the guidance of Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to climb Everest. After extensive training, Sinha reached the summit of Everest as part of the Tata Group Sponsored Eco Everest Expedition, becoming the first female amputee to achieve this feat.

Following her Everest ascent, Sinha pursued the Seven Summits challenge, climbing the highest peaks on each continent, including Mount Vinson in Antarctica. She raised the Indian national flag at Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus, Mount Kosciuszko, Mount Aconcagua, Carstensz Pyramid, and Mount Vinson, becoming the first amputee woman to summit Mount Vinson.

Sinha's achievements have been recognized with several honors, including the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian awards, and the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award. She received an honorary doctorate from the University of Strathclyde and was named one of the People of the Year by Limca Book of Records. Her autobiography, "Born Again on the Mountain," documents her journey and the lessons she learned, with the launch attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sinha established the Shaheed Chandra Shekhar Azad Divyang Khel Academy, operated by the Arunima Foundation, to train and support disabled athletes. As a motivational speaker, she shares her experiences in overcoming adversity, promoting disability inclusion, and advocating for adaptive sports. Through her mountaineering, writing, and advocacy, Sinha has contributed to changing public perceptions of disability and resilience in sports and society.