Leslie John Beans – a great example of humanity. Image Courtesy – Anandabazar Patrika & The Hindu
Any desires for finding the two Indian climbers missing on Mount Everest alive darkened further on Tuesday, with a salvage mission yet to be sent to find them on the world’s highest mountain. Paresh Chandra Nath, Gautam Ghosh, Sunita Hazra and Subhash Pal – all from West Bengal, and four Sherpa guides going with them disappeared near the 8,848 meter tall summit of the mountain on Saturday.
Sunita Hazra, Subhas Pal and the Sherpa aides were being found on Sunday, however, there has been no trace of Paresh Chandra Nath and Gautam Ghosh. In spite of the fact that Hazra could reach till Camp II at 6,400 meters, from where she was carried to Kathmandu. But, Subhas Pal died because of sickness due to height altitude while coming down on Sunday night at 7,500 meters.
Mount Everest – the unending attraction of climbers. Image Courtesy – www.channelnewsasia.com.
That was the general picture of this Everest expedition. But, what is very much significant was that a British adventurer appeared almost like God and saved Everest-winning Sunita Hazra. Sunita got her life almost in a miraculous way with the help of British explorer Leslie John Binns.
Sunita was not only the main character of this story, not even explorers. The turn of the story was explorer’s wander wife, Lindsay Ampringham, of Yorkshire England.
Here is the detail of the story:
How was it possible? Lindsay began to think up questions. However, on the day before Leslie was just making fun? Or the woman reached the camp at the foot of the summits, and then rose again? What happened to the Indian woman? Lindsay took refuge in the Internet again. Accidents, Frost Bite, Indian female rider … was condoned at all to find the words to write a newspaper report written in an unknown language(Bengali). The online magazine was published from Kolkata, on the 4th May! Sunita Hazra’s face on the front page with picture story of her experience! Lindsay did not understand the writings in Bengali. But, Sunita’s image was stuck in his eyes! She observed the bandage on Sunita’s right hand due to frost bite!
Lindsay tried to translate the Anandabazar report in Google translator, but she could not understand the story in detail. She could not communicate with her husband in the meantime. At last, on the 25th May, she would able to communicate with her husband Leslie.
She came to know from Leslie that he got the base. Lindsay asked about the girl to her husband, who saved her life. Leslie told with the help of Messenger that in the evening of the 1st May, he was on his way to the Mount Everest. When he reached at the 8400-meter-high balcony in that night, he saw an ‘Indian lady climber’ was laid in a crashed condition. After touching the Everest Peak on the 21st May afternoon, she got covered by bad weather. Her Oxygen had been finished, and her right hand had been affected by frost bite. After observing the situation, Leslie could not continue his mission to the Everest. He brought her immediately to his camp 4 and did proper treatment and Oxygen to make her alive.
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On the next morning, he delivered Sunita to her Sherpas. The weather became so bad that it was not possible for Leslie to climb up to the Everest. While other team mates of Leslie already touched the peak of the Everest. But, Leslie remained deprived, but simultaneously felt very proud for saving a life.
Lindsay now gave surprise to Leslie. Lindsay sent the picture of Sunita which was published in ‘Anandabazar Patrika’. She wrote, “The media has published a picture of a lady named Sunita Hazra. Were you saying for this lady?” Leslie was startled, ”That’s the girl! Sunita!” The name was remembered by Leslie. Leslie then repeatedly asked his wife to call her and to make enquiry for her health.
Lindsay once again took the help of internet to seek Sunita’s current address. She came to know that Sunita had been admitted to ‘Norvic International Hospital’ of Kathmandu. She tried to contact her on the 26th May, 2016, but unable to talk with Sunita because of late night. She gave her number to the hospital authority. On the next day, Sunita’s family came to know that a foreigner lady wanted to talk with Sunita. They got stunt. However, they made contact with Lindsay and they were really surprised to know her. Sunita also spoke to Lindsay.
Sunita’s family informed this exciting story to the “Anandabazar Patrika”. Now, the reporter of “Anandabazar Patrika” tried to contact with Lindsay and gave his information. Lindsay got surprised also. She could not believe that so much events has happened by the time, and that very reporter made contact whose report inspired to proceed her like that. ”You wrote, as Leslie saved Sunita like God! It made me cry and shake! I came to know by the translation of your report on Sunita. Leslie could recognize Sunita only by your picture in the report!”
Lindsay asked, “Where is Leslie?” The reporter in reply informed that Leslie messaged him in Messenger, “He is coming down from the base camp. He is now in Namche Bazar.”
Leslie told about his personal fighting with the nature. Sunita were fighting with all sorts of odds and ends on the night of 21st May. It was more than eight thousand meters altitude, under the open sky. It was fight to live, and to fight back. The next was just another fight of Leslie. It was a fight to save, and fight to bring back a human being alive. A mental fight to return back from very near of the peak of the Everest, after coming from far-reaching England – just to save a woman, completely unknown. Only one identity was there – adventurer.
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Leslie said, “I was almost to the peak. I went to the balcony. Sunita was devastated with tiredness after reaching the peak. Her Oxygen was finished. After recovering a little from my own oxygen, I wanted to know are you able to come down? And she even began to descend. But, after seeing her stepping, I understood it was impossible to let her go alone. Then I ask my Sherpa not to proceed further. Stop the summit. It is necessary to recover her life.”
Leslie gave the description how he recovered Sunita step by step. He told how he himself was also exhausted. He tied Sunita with the ‘safety rope’ attached with his waist just to protect her from falling. He gradually crossed the dangerous blue shield of ice which did not support even spike shoes also. His shoes were skidding with slippery blue shield of ice, and they looked so helpless, wanted to cry. Sunita was fighting like a tiger with her vitality.
Climber of West Bengal Sunita at Norvic International Hospital
Leslie told that he was very proud. It was a great honour to save a human being than winning a peak of a mountain. He also told that he did not stop his prayer to God for a single moment for Sunita.
Finally, we have lost other team mates, and Sunita came back alive. Indians will always be grateful to this great soul of Britain, Leslie John Binns. The government of India should confer him with a great honour for saving the life of Sunita Hazra. It has created a history that a man of Britain elevated the torch of ‘Humanity’ surpassing his long cherished dream to touch the peak of Everest.
Reference – ABP News Network.
