Sunita Singh Choken
{{short description|Indian activist and mountaineer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sunita Singh Choken
| image = Sunita Profile.jpg
| caption = Kolahoi Peak expedition, 2019
| alt = Choken resting during expedition
| known_for = Climbing Mount Everest, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
| education =
| employer =
| awards = Nari Shakti Puraskar (2016)
| occupation = Mountaineer, activist
| nationality = Indian
}}
Sunita Singh Choken (born {{circa|1985}}) is an Indian mountaineer and activist. She climbed Mount Everest in 2011. Afterwards she did two long-distance cycle trips to promote both the environment and the "Save, educate the girl child" campaign (Beti Bachao Beti Padhao). She has received several awards including the 2016 Nari Shakti Puraskar.
Early life
Sunita Singh Choken was born in 1985 in a Hindu Gurjar Family.{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Kumar |last2=Saini |first2=Ravinder |last3=Sharma |first3=Sumedha |last4=Dhawan |first4=Sunit |last5=Malik |first5=B. S. |last6=Sharma |first6=Shiv Kumar |title=Everester pedals for girls, environment |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/haryana/haryana-diary-441059 |access-date=23 January 2021 |work=The Tribune India |date=24 July 2017 |language=en}} She grew up in Rewari (Haryana) and Kishorpura (Rajasthan) finishing her schooling in Amritsar, (Punjab).{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Jaison |title=Rewari to Mt. Everest: Journey of a young girl |url=http://www.uniindia.com/rewari-to-mt-everest-journey-of-a-young-girl/india/news/1160821.html |access-date=23 January 2021 |work=United News of India |date=8 March 2018 |archive-date=16 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216204629/http://www.uniindia.com/rewari-to-mt-everest-journey-of-a-young-girl/india/news/1160821.html |url-status=live }} Her father worked for the Border Security Force.{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Divya |title=Everest conqueror in city for yoga |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/amritsar/everest-conqueror-in-city-for-yoga-500927 |access-date=23 January 2021 |work=The Tribune India |date=21 November 2017 |language=en}}
Choken studied mountaineering in Manali and Darjeeling.
Career
Choken climbed five mountains in Manali, Darjeeling and Uttarkashi, then was chosen by Nepal to join an expedition going to the summit of Mount Everest. She climbed Everest in 2011, at the age of 25, making her the youngest woman from Haryana to make the ascent.{{cite news |title=President honours Everest climber from Haryana |url=https://www.pressreader.com/india/hindustan-times-jalandhar/20170309/281711204446938 |access-date=24 January 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |agency=HTC |date=9 March 2017 |archive-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201004824/https://www.pressreader.com/india/hindustan-times-jalandhar/20170309/281711204446938 |url-status=live }} She then scaled several other Himalayan peaks.
In 2017, Choken began a cycle trip of 4,200 km from Kanyakumari to Leh aiming to promote the campaigns "Save, educate the girl child" (Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao) and "Preserve environment". She ultimately covered 4,656 km and planted 220 trees along the route. After the trip, she returned to Amritsar to teach yoga, on the invitation of Vivekananda Kendra. Choken was appointed a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in Haryana Police in 2018 following a decision by the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the previous appointment to DSP of Mamta Sodha.{{cite news |last1=Sura |first1=Ajay |title=Mount Everest: Everest summiteers demand DSP posts; sports department in a tizzy |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/everest-summiteers-demand-dsp-posts-sports-department-in-a-tizzy/articleshow/63211835.cms |access-date=23 January 2021 |work=The Times of India |date=8 March 2018 |language=en}} Also in 2018, she made another cycle trip to promote Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, this time covering a distance of 5,000 km from the Somnath Temple (Gujarat) to Nepal.{{cite web |title=Somnath Temple to Nepal (5000 km) Solo Cycling Expedition by Sunita Singh Chocken (Jenny Chocken) 15th July – 23rd August |url=https://travelogues.co/2018/07/14/somnath-to-nepal-5000-km-solo-cycling-expedition-by-sunita-singh-chocken-jenny-chocken-15th-july-23rd-august/ |website=Travelogues |access-date=23 January 2021 |language=en |date=14 July 2018}}
Awards and recognition
Choken received the 2016 Nari Shakti Puraskar, presented by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. She has also been recognised with the Border Security Force Brave Daughter, the Bharat Gaurav and the Kalpana Chawla awards.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Nari Shakti Puraskar}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Choken, Sunita Singh}}
Category:21st-century Indian women
Category:21st-century Indian people
Category:Nari Shakti Puraskar winners
Category:Mountain climbers from Haryana
Category:Indian female mountain climbers
Category:Indian female cyclists
Category:Indian summiters of Mount Everest
Category:Indian police officers