‘Adventure was Ashok’s passion from childhood’
   Date :22-Oct-2020
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■ Sports Reporter :
 
 
CITY’S renowned amputee mountaineer and an adventure enthusiast Ashok Munne got motivation after watching an interview of a Pune girl Krushnaa Patil, who at the age of 19 became the youngest Indian to successfully ascend Mount Everest. He was watching TV at Sanjeevani Hospital where he under went third surgery on right leg. At that time Ashok’s parents, who came from a very humble agricultural background, were also in a helpless situation and were not sure about the results. “Earlier Ashok had two major surgeries at the government hospital which were unsuccessful. Even after the second surgery Ashok bled for six months. He lost more than 20 kilos. Now this was third abscission and we were not sure about the result. But thanks to the almighty that this third operation was a huge success.
 
And then Ashok was fitted with the prosthetic leg from Jaipur,” said his father Ramlal while talking to ‘The Hitavada’. The father added,“I would like to thank Malti Shastri madam, Vice-President of Indradhanu Apang Karya Sangathan, for guiding us. She did all his tests at the Commando Hospital, Pune under the guidance of Captain CN Satish, a prosthetic surgery specialist. I am also grateful to Sanjeevani Hospital in Laxminagar and Dr Rajan for looking after Ashok during need of the hour. Dr Rajan didn’t charge a single penny from us and also fed Ashok food which came from his own home kitchen.” The adventure enthusiast, who completed Raid de Himalaya in Extreme Moto category, regarded as one of the toughest motorsport rallies across the globe, started climbing small hillocks after his third surgery.
 
“After getting discharge from hospital he told me ‘Baba I want to climb’. I said yes to him but I never had money to support him. Luckily, Ashok got a four wheeler’s driver job and he started earning a descent amount of money. So, first it was his job and then it was his passion — mountain climbing. In January or so right after the surgery he started climbing small hillocks and mountains. In 2012, he first climbed the Kalsubai peak, highest point in Maharashtra at an elevation of 1646 metres and then there was no looking back for him,” said Ramlal. The mountaineer, who climbed Kugti Pass Trek — a high altitude pass in the Chamba region, was actually into sports and adventure from his childhood itself. “Ashok was into swimming, running and mountaineering from his childhood.
 
I remember he was two years old when he climbed a hillock along with me and several other villagers so that we could perform our daily pooja. His school teacher always complained that Ashok and his friends used to swim in the river during the lunch break. I have seen him climbing tress like a monkey on several occasions. His friends used to call him Mowgli of our Murthy village. Initially, I was worried but later when I realised that adventure is his passion, I stopped expounding him,” the father said. The martial artists, who trains students in kung-fu, karate and kick boxing was never really into studies. “Studies was never his cup of tea. He hated it. But his younger sisters (Sonu and Roshni) were good in academics. I myself studied till fourth standard so I never forced Ashok to get good marks in school exams.
 
I always told him to try out different things but with utmost sincerity. Even when he was into agriculture I told him to experiment with seed planting. Honestly, I never expected that someday he would reach this far. But whatever he has gone through and whatever he has achieved I am very proud of him,” said a proud Ramlal. The para-athlete, who drove 3,000 kilometres through Ladakh on his motorcycle in 2013 actually got recognition and fame after he climbed the Mira Peak in Nepal in 2012 at the height of 6476 metres with a prosthetic leg.
 
“In January 2012, he began climbing and in November or so he climbed the Mira Peak. A month later he became the brand ambassador for P&O International — a company in India that manufactures artificial limbs. Also he started getting sponsorship from several other brands,” Ramlal stated. During the conversation Ramlal said, “I can’t forget the moment when a person in our village came running to our house and said that Ashok is live on Aastha Channel and is performing yoga with Baba Ramdev. I think it was an unforgettable moment for all of us.”