2017 Adventurer of the Year

Mira Rai – The NatGeo 2017 Adventurer of the Year

It’s a day of great jubilance. On 26th January, yesterday, National Geography announced the winner of the 2017 Adventurer of the Year – Mira Rai.

Every year, National Geographic honors 10 extraordinary adventurers as the Adventurers of the Year. NatGeo chooses people who have realized big dreams in exploration, conservation, cultural restoration, adventure sports, and humanitarianism from all over the world. Then the audience vote for who they think is the best, most inspiring and highest deserving among them.

This year, all of the nominees were groundbreakingly inspiring. From those who fueled a cultural renaissance through celestial circumnavigation, to those who showed their steadfast determination hiking through the Grand Canyon, to the fearless discoverer of the world’s deepest underwater cave.

However, beating all odds once again, it is Mira Rai who soared victoriously.

National Geographic introduces her as the winner as such,

Mira Rai once hauled rice sacks through the Himalaya. Now she wins international trail races and inspires young Nepali women. Meet your 2017 Adventurer of the Year.”

Mira Rai winning the title of the 2017 Adventurer of the Year is a matter of great honor and pride to all Nepalese, women and men alike.

Mira Rai is a phenom, in both adventure trail running and as a beacon of change. A young girl of 14 casually goes on to join the Maoist army, decides to run her first 50 k without gear or special equipment (not even proper shoes), is the only woman in the race and…wins.

running competition in mira's village

A running competition Mira organized in her home village

And today, the running world recognizes her as a high-elevation trail racing phenom. She is now on a mission to help men and women of Nepal through sports. She took steps to realize the mission while recovering from knee surgery last October when she organized a race in her home village.

We have realized that Nepal has tremendous potential to develop competitive athletes, for which we’re organizing a series of trail races in Kathmandu. These are short races aimed for both beginners and experienced runners,” says Rai.

I hope you voted for her every day like I did. And now we know that our efforts to make her win the title of 2017 Adventurer of the Year was not futile.

All the best for your future endeavors, Mira Rai. You’ve made us all proud!