Sita Subedi: One Leg, Cancer, Rejection, and Resilience – Unforgettable Moments of Strength
By Anjana Chaudhary - Apr 13, 2025 | Updated On: 13 April, 2025 | 5 min read
By Anjana Chaudhary , 5 min read - Apr 13, 2025
Updated On: 13 April, 2025
Sita Subedi Journey: Overcoming Obstacles to Becoming a One-Leg Classical Dancer from Nepal
Some narratives aren’t simply told – they are felt. They remind us that resilience can be exquisitely brave, even in its darkest moments. This is the story of Sita Subedi, a daughter of Meghauli, Chitwan, Nepal, who became a one-leg classical dancer from Nepal and gained national attention. For every fall, she raised her. She ranked up with every tear. Her own story is not simply one of loss; it is one of the beauty of rising.
Sita, the daughter of Balkrishna and Saraswoti Subedi, had complete joy, laughter, and rhythm. Dance was not just a childhood hobby for her; it was her identity. But just then, she was struck down by the cruel twist of fate in her life. There was every justification she could muster in such an instance to walk away from it. Instead, she decided to rewrite her fate, not with the things she had lost, but with everything she still laid claim to within her: courage, hope, and fire.
Sita Subedi, now recognized as a one-leg classical dancer from Nepal, has become a symbol of resilience. She shows that real artistry and passion need not be confined by a mere physical limitation. The narrative of will and determination shows the world that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it.
Read More: Breastfeeding, Kajal, and Baby Oil Massage – Helpful or Harmful? Insights From Dr. Kabita Keyal
The Day Her World Changed: How Sita Subedi Lost Her Leg but Not Her Dreams
At the age of 12, her whole life changed suddenly and terribly. Dance was much more appealing to her than studies, and she spent her time with rhythm, movement, and mysterious dreams of becoming a classical dancer.
While cycling in Dashain with her siblings, she began experiencing pain in her left leg. What appeared to be a minor injury soon turned major; her leg began swelling, and her parents took her to Bharatpur Cancer Hospital with hopes of something simple. It was instead the report that showed her generalization of osteosarcoma, a relatively rare and very aggressive bone cancer. Amputation above her left thigh was the last thing that would save her from life.
A little girl is crushed because she loves to dance. Months spent in bed have reduced her to physical and emotional wrecks, but deep down, her love for dancing remains untarnished.
Sita Subedi is a famous one-leg classical dancer from Nepal. Her story is of endurance, bravery, and a firm conviction that nothing is more significant than the will to overcome.
From Struggles to Stage: The Inspirational Story of a One-Leg Classical Dancer From Nepal
Sita Subedi is a hard worker by nature. At the age of twelve, she lost her leg because of cancer, but she never surrendered to her dreams or dignity. Today, she is a famous one-leg classical dancer from Nepal who took her challenges and threw them as inspiration for thousands.
She took a three-month tailoring training course, which solidified her first step towards independence. She continued with her education and secured work at the same hospital where she had been treated, earning her first salary, which she remembers with great pride.
Then, she got a chance that opened up through a disability empowerment program. There, she was trained in computer skills, the English language, and music. She did well, came out on top of her class, and was awarded a computer and printer.
While Sita was not treated fairly at the workplace and, because of her disability, even denied promotions, her determination remained unshaken. Indeed, Sita is a great singer. In 2005, Sita herself composed her first song. In 2019, she represented Nepal in South Korea. When Sita performs the traditional Jhaure dance, she embraces all cultures and shows with one leg as a classical Dancer from Nepal.
Upon returning, she founded Sansthirya Nritya, a platform dedicated to preserving Nepali dance forms. In 2022, her performance of the sacred Charya Nritya left judges deeply impressed.
In 2018, a person challenged her in her ability to walk in 6-inch high heels. Accepting that challenge, she walked through the fashion runway in 2022. The encouragement gave her the confidence to enter a beauty pageant, which she initially failed to qualify for because of her appearance. She insisted on an interview, was selected, and used the platform to challenge beauty standards, promoting a broader definition of beauty.
After 45 training days, she sailed through the interview and won the “Management Choice Award.” Ms. Nepal International 2023 was won, and this victory was a proud achievement for Nepal, a one-leg classical dancer from Nepal, for whom this was another feather in the cap for holding firm in adversity.

Sita Subedi’s journey illustrates how resilience, self-assurance, and an indomitable will can overcome the most challenging obstacles. Despite losing her leg to cancer at 12, she triumphed to become a renowned one-leg classical Dancer from Nepal and was crowned Ms. Nepal International 2023.
In this powerful video on the RST YouTube channel, Sita opens up about the discrimination she faced in the workplace, society’s biased views toward people with disabilities, and how she turned rejection into resilience.
More than only narration, this is a tale of incredible bravery and encouragement for those feeling limited by life’s obstacles. If you want to learn how one woman broke through limits and forged her definitions of beauty, strength, and success, watch this video on our RST YouTube channel.