Today, in this post, ‘Reach for the Top Summary Class 9 English’, we’ll read the short and detailed summary of Class 9th NCERT English Beehive chapter 7, Reach for the Top.
Reach for the Top Part 1: Santosh Yadav
Reach for the Top Part 1 About the Lesson
This lesson is a biographical sketch of Santosh Yadav, the only woman in the world to have scaled Mt. Everest twice. It highlights her courage, determination, and willpower to fight against social norms, pursue education, and follow her passion for mountaineering. It teaches students the importance of perseverance, self-confidence, and dedication in achieving one’s dreams.
About the Author
The lesson on Santosh Yadav is written as a biographical account (author not specifically mentioned in NCERT). It presents real-life struggles and achievements of Santosh Yadav, aiming to inspire students with her story of breaking barriers and excelling in a male-dominated field.
Short Summary of Reach for the Top Part 1
Santosh Yadav was born in a small village of Haryana in a conservative family. Unlike other girls, she questioned traditional ways, preferred wearing shorts, and stood firm for education. At sixteen, when pressured for marriage, she left home for Delhi to study. Later, while in college at Jaipur, she got inspired to try mountaineering. She joined the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and soon became a skilled climber. In 1992, at the age of twenty, she scaled Mt. Everest, becoming the youngest woman to do so. She climbed Everest again the next year, making her the only woman to scale it twice. She also showed compassion by helping fellow climbers and brought down 500 kg of garbage from the Himalayas. Santosh’s story reflects her determination, courage, and love for the nation.
Reach for the Top Part 1 Summary
Santosh Yadav, the only woman to climb Mount Everest twice, was born in a small village called Joniyawas in Rewari district of Haryana. She grew up in a traditional society where the birth of a girl was not celebrated much, but from childhood she showed signs of questioning traditions. Unlike other girls, she preferred shorts to traditional dresses and believed in making her own choices.
Although her parents were wealthy landowners, she was initially sent to the local village school, as per family customs. At sixteen, when her parents pressured her to get married like other village girls, she firmly refused. She left home, enrolled in a school in Delhi, and told her parents she would work part-time to fund her studies if they didn’t support her. Impressed by her determination, they agreed to pay for her education.
Later, she joined Maharani College in Jaipur, where she lived in Kasturba Hostel facing the Aravalli Hills. Watching mountaineers climb the hills inspired her to try it herself. She soon joined a group of climbers and decided to take formal training at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi. Without informing her father, she enrolled there, later writing an apology to him.
Her mountaineering career flourished. In 1992, at just 20, Santosh scaled Mount Everest, becoming the youngest woman in the world to do so. During this expedition, she showed compassion by trying to save a dying climber and helping another by sharing her oxygen. Within a year, she climbed Everest again, becoming the only woman to scale it twice.
For her achievements, she received the Padmashri award. She felt immense pride when she unfurled the Indian tricolour at the summit, calling it a spiritual and unforgettable moment. Apart from being a mountaineer, Santosh is also an environmentalist who collected 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas to keep the mountains clean. Her life is an inspiring story of courage, determination, and patriotism.
Read also: Reach for the Top Part 1 Question Answer
Reach for the Top Part 2: Maria Sharapova
Reach for the Top Part 2 About the Lesson
This lesson is about Maria Sharapova, a Russian tennis star who rose to world number one at a young age. It highlights her sacrifices, mental toughness, and determination to achieve her dream despite loneliness and hardships. The text also shows how discipline and single-minded focus can help one reach the top.
About the Author
This part is adapted from a newspaper article (author not named in NCERT). It aims to give students a real-life glimpse into the struggles and determination behind Maria Sharapova’s success in sports.
Short Summary of Reach for the Top Part 2
Maria Sharapova, born in Siberia, was sent to the USA at the age of nine with her father to train in tennis. Her mother could not join due to visa problems, leading to a long separation. Maria faced loneliness, tough training schedules, and even humiliation from other trainees. But instead of giving up, she became mentally strong and more determined. She went on to win Wimbledon in 2004 and reached the number one position in women’s tennis in 2005. Despite living in the USA, she takes pride in her Russian identity. She loves fashion, singing, dancing, reading Arthur Conan Doyle’s books, and simple food like pancakes with chocolate. For her, money is secondary to her ultimate dream of being the world’s best. Her story reflects sacrifice, hard work, and an unshakable desire to succeed.
Reach for the Top Part 2 Summary
Maria Sharapova, the Russian tennis superstar, rose to the world number one position in 2005 at just eighteen. Despite her glamorous image, her journey was full of sacrifices, struggles, and determination.
Her success story began in Siberia, where she was born. At the young age of nine, she was taken by her father, Yuri, to Florida, USA, to train in tennis. Her mother, Yelena, could not accompany her due to visa restrictions, leading to a painful two-year separation. Maria felt lonely in a foreign land, missing her mother deeply. Her father worked hard to support her training, leaving Maria to handle most challenges on her own.
In the training camp, she faced humiliation from older trainees who made her do petty chores like cleaning rooms. Instead of feeling depressed, she became more determined and mentally tough. She never thought of quitting because she was clear about her dream. She endured loneliness, hardships, and even insults to steadfastly pursue success in tennis.
Her determination soon bore fruit. In 2004, Maria won the Wimbledon women’s singles title, and in 2005, she achieved the world number one ranking. She attributes her success to hard work, competitiveness, and her will to win, describing tennis as both her passion and her job.
Even though she has lived in the USA for years and speaks with an American accent, Maria proudly identifies herself as Russian and has vowed to play in the Olympics for Russia. Off the court, her hobbies include fashion, singing, dancing, and reading novels by Arthur Conan Doyle. She also enjoys simple pleasures like pancakes with chocolate and fizzy orange drinks.
For Maria, money is important, but not the ultimate goal. What truly drives her is the dream of being number one in the world. Her story reflects sacrifice, mental toughness, national pride, and an unwavering desire to succeed, making her a role model for young achievers.
Read also: Reach for the Top Part 2 Question Answer
View all Chapter: Class 9th English Solutions