Darjeeling pays homage to Tenzing Norgay on his 102 birth anniversary

EOI, Darjeeling, 29 May 2016: To mark the 102nd birth anniversary of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa today, which also happens to be the day he conquered Mount

Everest, two programmes were organized in separate venues where the need to confer Norgey with the Bharat Ratna award was highlighted.

A grand programme was held at the premises of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in the morning hours followed by another programme at Chowrasta.

The morning programme was organised jointly by the HMI and the United Sherpa Association near Norgay's samadhi and statue, while the Chowrasta event was hosted by the association and the information and cultural department of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

United Sherpa Association vice president P.T. Sherpa said, “The demand for conferring the Bharat Ratna to Tenzing Norgay is being raised since the year 2012 and we strongly feel he should get the award as he is an internationally renowned figure.”

It is well known that Norgay had a close association with Darjeeling and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. After Norgay and Hillary summitted Everest on May 29, 1953 the HMI was established and Tenzing Norgay appointed the field director of training. He also remained as advisor to the institute till his death on May 9, 1986 in Darjeeling.

Among the various awards Norgay has received include the Padma Bhushan and the President's award. International recognitions include the George Award from the United Kingdom along with the Coronation Medal of Queen Elizabeth among various other awards from several countries.

GTA Information and Cultural Department Sabashad in-charge Binay Tamang said, “Tenzing Sherpa is not only the pride of Darjeeling and the hills but also the country. We feel he should be conferred the Bharat Ratna and the Darjeeling MP has also raised the issue in Parliament. GTA chief executive Bimal Gurung had also written to the home minister regarding this matter and now we feel organisations from all walks of life should write to the prime minister regarding this.”

Jamling, Norgay's son, who is also an Everester, said, “My father put India on the global map when it had just achieved its freedom. He is recognised everywhere for reaching the summit of Mt. Everest for the first time.”

The Sherpa Association also wants the HMI and Bagdogra airport named after Tenzing Norgay and May 29 declared a state holiday.

HMI principal Gulshan Chadda said, “We as an institution also want the Bharat Ratna award to be awarded to Tenzing Norgay and we have in the past written to the government regarding this. Tenzing Norgay was a great man and people should learn from him qualities like perseverance and patience. In recent times a lot of accidents have been taking place in Mt. Everest  but people should stop saying it is a killer mountain. Those who attempt to climb it should take this message from Norgay’s life. He made seven attempts before finally succeeding in conquering the mountain.

It is not that if you have money you can book an agency and make the attempt. Prior to that, one should take mountaineering courses and make themselves fit and prepared as Everest is no ordinary mountain.”

The programme at the HMI saw people from different walks of life paying homage to Norgay by offering wreathes and ‘khadas’ (traditional scarfs) at the samadhi and the statue. At the felicitation programme at Chowrasta, four Everesters were honoured and they included Kusang Sherpa, who has summitted Everest five times, in 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2003. The others included Dorjee Lhatoo, Nima Norbu Sherpa and Jamling Norgay, who scaled Everest in the year 1996. Family members of Trishala Gurung and Sulaxana Tamang, the two girls from Darjeeling who recently made the summit of Everest, were also felicitated.

Sabhasad Tamang said the GTA will make the event an annual affair and more Everesters would be felicitated in the coming years. He added that a statue of Nawang Gombu, the first man to climb

Everest twice, would be erected at the Mall road area. Gombu climbed Everest with American mountaineer Jim Whittaker in 1963 and then again in 1965 with Captain A.S. Cheema.