Mamta Rawat: The unsung hero of Bankoli, Uttarkashi

 

Why is it that when we think of ‘Women of Substance’ we only think of the elite women.  Here is the story of a young brave heart from a small village called Bankoli in Uttarkashi district of uttarakhand. It’s the story 

of Mamta Rawat who in my eyes is truly a woman of substance.

This is her story …Mamta is 24 years old. Having dropped out of school to take care of her mother and her home, Mamta after great struggle managed to do her Basic Mountaineering Course from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi. But, it took her two years after her Basic Course to save up another Rs5000 to do her Advance Course. She did it with the hope that she could get employment in the adventure field. Having performed very well in the Advance course she got a sponsor to sponsor her next course the Method of Instruction course. She then went on to do her Search and Rescue Course. All these courses finally paid off and today she is a professional mountaineer and a qualified instructor. She works as guest instructor with NIM and as a freelancer with INME, a Delhi based adventure sport orgnaisation that conducts training and adventure trips for children.

Mamta, the only earning member of her family is a determined young Gharwali girl who always puts others first and then thinks about herself. Even as her house was getting washed away she preferred to rush out to the help of the pilgrims and other tourists rather than save her house as she was confident that nothing would happen to her family. She was out on rescue missions since the 17th of June with the NIM team and then for the next one month with INME on relief operations.

There are tales of this girl that will mesmerize people. While, on the rescue mission she carried a middle-aged pilgrim woman on her back as the lady was unconscious. She carried her on her back - like a mountaineer carries a rucksack – and ran down the rocky terrain for over 3km to help her get evacuated by a helicopter for further medical treatment. Even when asked what help she required with regard to her house she mentioned that it was nothing but that her village that required rope/cable bridges to cross over the rivers, as all the old bridges were washed away by river. Today she lives with her family of 6 members under a tinned roof.

It is for this brave heart that Summiting4Hope has decided to raise funds and help build her a permanent home where she and her family can live peacefully without any fear. Hers is the only house in her village that has been washed away. Mamta is an outgoing young girl who is ever ready to help anyone in need and always put the needs of others far above her own. Having done so much of her own people and for other that she did not even know, we feel this is the least that we can do for her.