We do not have to look too far to find our heroes. They live among us, fighting their own battles, discovering their own paths and paving the way for others. But we seldom notice them. The Quint has tied up with India's largest rural media platform, Gaon Connection, to bring to you these stories every week on The Neelesh Misra Show.
Every episode is an attempt to shed light on lesser-known issues that affect the public and reflect the changing times. The first episode of The Neelesh Misra Show stars three young women.
Priya Kumari
This is the story of a young woman who, undeterred by the doors that were closed on her face, used her courage to pave a path for herself. Priya Kumari, from Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh, had one dream – to climb Mount Everest.
Soon after she was born, her mother abandoned her and left her to die at a garbage dump. She was found by a social worker, who raised her as her own daughter.
Priya was 16 when her foster mother passed away. The family she was living with began to ill-treat her, and forced her to marry so they would be rid of her. One day, Priya ran away from home. With only Rs 100 in her pocket, a hungry and frightened Priya reached Delhi. The only thing that kept her going was her dream to climb Mt Everest.
Over the years, she pursued a mountaineering course in Dehradun – with the help of an NGO. She also climbed a few Himalayan peaks, but hasn’t managed to cross Mt Everest off her list. While she may accomplish her dream soon, the world’s highest peak is but a small molehill when compared to Priya’s courage and determination.
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