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1965 Indian Everest Expedition

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Mount Everest.
1965 Indian stamp dedicated to the 1965 Everest Expedition
Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi meets the members of Indian Everest Expedition 1965 on the occasion of Golden Jubilee of this on May 20, 2015
Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi meets the members of Indian Everest Expedition 1965 on the occasion of Golden Jubilee of this on May 20, 2015
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi releasing the book "The Great Himalayan Climb" on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the 1965 Everest Expedition, in New Delhi on May 20, 2015

After the first conquest of Mount Everest in 1953 by New Zealand's Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, efforts were made on the part of India to conquer the summit. The first Indian expedition to conquer Mount Everest by the Indian Army, which was led by Brigadier Gyan Singh in 1960, failed. Climbers Colonel Narendra Kumar, Sonam Gyatso, and Sherpa Nawang Gombu reached 28,300 feet (8,625 meters) just 700 feet (223 meters) from the goal, but due to extremely bad weather they had to turn back.[1] The second Indian expedition by the Indian Army, which was led by Major John Diaz in 1962, also failed. Captain Mohan Singh Kohli, Sonam Gyatso, and Hari Dang reached nearly 400 feet (128 meters) below the peak at 28,600 feet (8,720 m), but had to give up due to bad weather.[2] Mohan Singh Kohli was part of both these expeditions.

The Indian Everest Expedition 1965 was the first successful Indian scaling of Mount Everest by the Indian Army.[3]

Preparation

In 1965, the third Indian expedition, which was led by Mohan Singh Kohli and his deputy Colonel Narendra "Bull" Kumar, included 21 core members of the expedition, and around 50 climbing sherpas. The mission was sponsored by the Indian Mountaineering foundation. The team started their journey from New Delhi on 21 February and reached on Jaynagar railway station in Bihar, the Indo-Nepal border on 24 February. They arranged for 25 tons of materials for the mission from various cities of India, including food, cloths, sleeping tents, oxygen cylinders and mountaineering equipment. All materials were carried from Jaynagar railway station to base camp by 800 porters including women. The initial attempt was attempted at the end of April and due to bad weather they came back to base camp and wait two weeks for better weather. Towards the end of May, Mount Everest was scaled in four successive attempts and put nine climbers on to the summit, setting a world record which India held for 17 years.

Reaching the summit

India became the fourth country to scale Mount Everest.

  • On May 20, 1965, Lt Col Avatar. S. Cheema and Nawang Gombu Sherpa climbed the peak and stood atop Mount Everest, thus becoming the first Indians to achieve this feat. This was the second time that Nawang Gombu Sherpa climbed Mount Everest. The first was with an American expedition in 1963. He became the first to climb the Mount Everest twice. Tenzing Norgay, the first man to climb Mount Everest, was his uncle.

Two days later on May 22, Sonam Gyatso and Sonam Wangyal, reached the summit, the first time that the oldest (Gyatso at 42) and the youngest (Wangyal at 23) climbed Mount Everest together.

On May 24 C. P. Vohra, Ang Kami Sherpa reached the top of Mount Everest.

On May 29, 12 years to the day from the first ascent, the fourth and last climb with Major H. P. S. Ahluwalia, H. C. S. Rawat, Phu Dorjee Sherpa reached the summit. This was the first time three climbers stood on the summit together.[4][5]

Eleven people were scheduled to climb the peak in five attempts, but Captain HV Bahuguna and Major BP Singh were forced to retreat to the peak due to physical difficulties.

Reception and honors

Mohan Singh Kohli is best known as leader of the epoch-making Indian Everest Expedition 1965. The achievement electrified the nation. Nine climbers reached the summit, creating a world record that India held for 17 years. Public euphoria reached a crescendo. People danced in the streets. On return of the team from Nepal to India, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri headed the reception at the airport. In another unprecedented move, an Arjuna Award[6] for the entire team and Padma Bhushan[7] for three members including team leader and Padma Shree[8] leader and eight members of the nine submitter was immediately announced. The tallest tribute came from former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri: “The record of Commander Kohli’s expedition will find special mention in history. It was a masterpiece of planning, organisation, teamwork, individual effort and leadership”. Lal Bahadur Shastri also described the 1965 success as one of India's six major achievements after independence.

A full-length film on the expedition with music by Shankar Jaikishan was released all over India and abroad.[9] The story of the achievement was serialized in several national newspapers and magazines. Mohan Singh Kohli and other members of the team were was felicitated at Brussels, Paris, Geneva and Rome. Tenzing Norgay accompanied Captain Kohli to several countries. In India, Chief Ministers of almost all the states invited the team to their capitals and honoured them at state and civic receptions.

Records of the expedition

  • First Indian team to successfully climb the Everest
  • First time three climbers stood on the summit together
  • First time nine climbers reached the summit, setting a world record which India held for 17 years
  • First man to climb Everest twice – Nawang Gombu Sherpa
  • First time that the oldest (Sonam Gyatso at 42) and the youngest (Sonam Wangyal at 23) climbed Everest together
  • First Nepalese to climb Everest – Phu Dorjee Sherpa

Summiters

  1. Avtar Singh Cheema
  2. Nawang Gombu Sherpa
  3. Sonam Gyatso
  4. Sonam Wangyal
  5. C. P. Vohra
  6. Ang Kami
  7. H. P. S. Ahluwalia
  8. H. C. S. Rawat
  9. Phu Dorjee Sherpa
  10. Captain H V Bahuguna
  11. Major B P Singh
  12. Gurdial Singh
  13. Major Mulk Raj
  14. Captain J C Joshi
  15. Lt. B N Rana
  16. Captain A K Chakravarty( Doctor)
  17. Dr.D V Telang( Doctor)
  18. G S Bhanghu (Wireless Operator)
  19. C.Balakrishnan (Wireless Operator)

Sherpas

It is impossible to climb Mount Everest without the help of sherpas. About 50 participated in the mission. Many of them had previously participated in other Everest missions. One of the sherpas, Phu Dorjee Sherpa, reached the summit.

  1. Ang tshering (Sirdar)
  2. Phu Dorjee Sherpa (Assistant Sirdar)
  3. General Thondup
  4. Nawang Hilla
  5. Dawa Norbu I
  6. Ang Dava IV
  7. Ila Tshering
  8. Ang tshering II
  9. Tenzing Nindra
  10. Ang Nyima
  11. Tenzing Gyatso
  12. Nima Tenzing
  13. Gunden
  14. Passand Tendi
  15. Mingma Tshering (Orderly of Captain M S Kohli)
  16. Pemba Sunder
  17. Sikhu Phorche
  18. Dahnu
  19. Lobsang Sherpa

Indian Everest Expedition 1965 Video


See also

References

  1. ^ "Failed Indian attmept on Mount Everest-1960 -". www.himalayanclub.org.
  2. ^ "Failed Indian attmept on Mount Everest-1962 -". www.himalayanclub.org.
  3. ^ "Indian Everest Expedition 1965-". www.everesthistory.com.
  4. ^ "First successful Indian Expedition of 1965". www.istampgallery.com.
  5. ^ "First successful Indian Expedition of 1965". www.thebetterindia.com.
  6. ^ "Arjuna Award for The first Indians on Everest on 1965-". www.sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in.
  7. ^ "Padma Bhushan for The first Indians on Everest on 1965-". www.dashboard-padmaawards.gov.in.
  8. ^ "Padma Shree for The first Indians on Everest on 1965-". www.dashboard-padmaawards.gov.in.
  9. ^ "Indian Everest Expedition 1965-". www.youtube.com.
  10. ^ "Nine Atop Everest-First successful Indian Expedition of 1965-". books.google.com.sa.
  11. ^ "The first Indians on Everest-First successful Indian Expedition of 1965-". www.livemint.com.
  12. ^ "The first Indians on Everest-First successful Indian Expedition of 1965-". www.himalayanclub.org.
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