You may have heard several stories of real-life heroes from different parts of the world, but the one you are about to read right now is unlike any of all those. Ahead of International Women's Day, we bring to you a riveting tale that features a 31-year-old woman, a single-pilot helicopter and limitless mountain peaks.
Literally flying on the top of the world, Priya Adhikari is the only female rescue pilot in Nepal. She risks her life every day to save numerous trekking enthusiasts who get stuck trying to conquer the treacherous Mount Everest. And she carries out the rescue missions all by herself.
She is well aware of the fact that Mount Everest is getting overcrowded with a large number of mountaineers showing up each year. And because most of them are not experienced enough, the risk of a mishap is as high as ever. Last year, as many as 18 died on the crowded route to the 8,850-metre high summit.
Priya puts in strenuous efforts every single day
At times, Priya's job requires her to retrieve dead bodies from the snow-capped Himalayan mountains. She once removed a frozen body of a Sherpa who died in 2006. Also, she discovered and carried the body of famous Australian climber Maria Strydom, who succumbed to the gruelling conditions in 2016.
During one of her many rescue missions, Priya saved the life of a 16-year-old Australian girl whose health had started to deteriorate. She flew 4,000 metres above sea level, loaded the teenager into her chopper and even gave up her own supply of oxygen to save the child.
She recently set a personal record when she flew her helicopter at 6,200 metres to rescue a climber from Mount Kanchenjunga.
Tracing Priya's journey to the top of the world
The trajectory of Priya's professional life is as inspiring as it gets. Believe it or not, this tough rescue pilot was once a contestant in the Miss Nepal beauty pageant. Soon after, she started working as an airline cabin attendant and then one day, she went for a joyride in a helicopter that changed her life forever.
Recalling that ride, she told ABC News, "The moment I was inside and the helicopter took off I was like, 'hell yeah! Can I be a pilot?"
As she started to pursue her dream of flying, she faced numerous hurdles as Nepal is a slightly conservative country and the aviation sector is anyway male-dominated. But, she didn't let any of this bog her down, kept her spirits high at all times and now, she assertively handles an all-male staff.
However, despite soaring so high in her profession, Priya still has to face gender-discrimination as people often ask her if she, a woman, can actually pull-off such demanding tasks. To this, she replies that her job might be more suited to a man but she works really hard to meet the expectations.
A hero unlike any other, a loving daughter like any other
Along with doing everything that she does, Priya also takes care of all her responsibilities at home. To this day, she gets up early in the morning to prepare the day's meals for her father. Besides, she willingly performs multiple household chores as well.
And by 6:00 am, she is off to the airport to resume her professional duties. A role model in its truest sense, Priya does not want any other aspiring girl pilot in her country to go through what she did.
"It should not be questioned again whether girls can do it or not because I have done it. I know I am the only one in Nepal but there are so many female helicopter pilots across the world," she says.
If anyone has literally proved that if you give your 100 percent then the sky is the limit, it is Priya Adhikari.
