Haridwar, Oct 5 (PTI) A strong will holds the key to success, said the first Indian woman to conquer Mt Everest, Bachendri Pal, Friday.

"If your will is strong, you are bound to succeed. From a small village in Uttarkashi to hoisting the tricolour on the Everest, I had to face many challenges but I never let my resolve weaken," the Padma Shri awardee said, sharing her experiences with the students of Shantikunj in Haridwar.

"The grandeur of my dreams dwarfed the financial odds I faced in realising them," she said.

Pal said there is no alternative to hard work.

"After getting associated with Tata Steel, I taught hundreds of people to dream big and to work hard to fulfil them," she said.

Pal was the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mt Everest in 1984. She was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1994, and the Arjuna Award in 1986.

She will be rafting in the Ganges from Haridwar to Patna, traversing a distance of 1,500 km in a bid to create awareness about the environment and keeping the mighty river clean. 

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