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PM to be sent missive on Top honour for Tenzing... Gautam deb felicitated nine Sherpas on Everester’s Birthday Centenary

PM to be sent missive on Top honour for Tenzing... Gautam deb felicitated nine Sherpas on Everester’s Birthday Centenary

SNS, Siliguri, 14 September : Family members of first Everester, Tenzing Norgay, and the United Sherpa Association have decided to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on taking initiatives to confer the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian honour, on the late mountaineer. Mr Norgay was the first mountaineer to scale Mount Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953.
"Sherpas living across the world have been demanding this for a long time. The name Tenzing Norgay is known in every part of the world. However, despite his achievements, it seems that he has been forgotten. The family members will write to Prime Minister Nardenra Modi soon and urged him to confer the award on Tenzing Norgay," said Jamling Tenzing Norgay, the son of Mr Norgay. He was speaking on the sidelines of a programme organised to commemorate the birth centenary of the mountaineer at the Siliguri Dinabandhu Mancha yesterday.
"Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia had promised that he would take initiatives in this regard. I am hopeful he will keep his word, while we have 100% faith in the government at the Centre," Jamling Norgay said.
Yesterday’s event was organised by the Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation in collaboration with the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority. North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb felicitated nine Sherpas during the programme.
The association has decided to send the letter to Mr Modi through Mr Ahluwalia.
"During the Lok Sabha election rally at Matigara, Mr Modi had raised the issue, so we will send the letter through Mr Ahluwalia when he visits Darjeeling next," said the vice president of the association, PT Sherpa. Jamling Norgay also said that the state government had not taken any step to recommend his name for the award to the Centre.
Mr Ahluwalia, meanwhile, said Tenzing Norgay deserves the award. "On 23 March, on the eve of filing the nomination papers for the Lok Sabha election, I visited Mr Norgay’s house in Darjeeling and said all efforts would be made on my part so that he would be awarded the Bharat Ratna. I will visit Darjeeling on 28 September," he said over phone from Delhi.
However, Mr Deb said it was a matter of shame that such a demand is being raised when the centenary celebrations are taking place.
"It is a matter of shame that the demand for the award is being raised when we are observing the birth centenary of the legendary mountaineer. Why should anyone make a demand for the award for Tenzing Norgay? He deserves the award in the true sense of the term. The West Bengal government will take necessary steps in this regard," he said.
The mountaineer was awarded with the Padma Bhushan in 1959. He also received the George Medal from the British government in 1953, the highest award for a non- British, while the Nepal government honoured him with the Nepal Tara and the Nepal Pratap Vardak awards.
The mountaineer has also received the USSR Sports Special Medal, the Special Olympic Medal, the French Sports Special Medal, the Italian Sports Special Medal, the Coronation Medal of Queen Elizabeth II and many other honours.
The principal of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Colonel Gulshan Chadha, said the mountaineer continues to inspire other climbers. Mr Deb further said HMI, the premier mountaineering institute, had been reeling under a financial crisis.
"Some steps are being taken. I had a talk with the chief minister over the issue so that initiatives can be taken to talk to the Centre over the matter," he said.

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