Sabita Mahato, hailing from Bihar, is both a mountaineer and cyclist who achieved an incredible feat by conquering the world’s highest motorable road, Umling La Pass in Ladakh, standing at an astonishing 19,300 feet. Her journey to this extraordinary accomplishment is a tale of unwavering determination and courage.
Coming from a financially challenged family in Bihar's Chhapra district, Sabita Mahato, at one point, worked at her father's small fish shop. To contribute to her family's well-being, she turned to sports, which eventually transformed into her abiding passion.
Facing resistance from her conservative family, she encountered opposition when expressing her desire to pursue a career in sports. However, through unwavering dedication and determination, she eventually convinced them.
Transitioning from a national-level volleyball player, Sabita shifted her focus to endurance sports. Her ambitious goal was to conquer Umling La Pass in Ladakh, the world’s highest motorable road at 19,300 feet.
Covering a distance of 570 km on foot from Manali to Umling La in a remarkable 18 days, Sabita achieved the distinction of being the first woman to solo cycle from Delhi to Umling La.
Sabita has cycled an impressive distance of over 33,000 km, conquering nine high-altitude passes and scaling 12 peaks. In June of last year, she etched her name in history as the world's first woman cyclist to navigate the world’s highest road, Umlinga la.
