Tenzing Norgay

Tenzing Norgay was a legendary Sherpa mountaineer.

He was a person of immense skill and global importance. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. He is most famous for reaching the summit of Mount Everest. This achievement changed how the world viewed mountaineering.

He was a Buddhist, which is the traditional religion of the Sherpa people. His name, Tenzing Norgay, translates to "wealthy-fortunate-follower-of-religion." This name was given to him by a high religious leader.

There are different accounts of his early life and origins. Tenzing wrote in his autobiography that he was born in Tengboche, Nepal. However, other records suggest he was born in the Kama Valley in Tibet. He grew up in Thame and spent time in Kharta. His father, Ghang La Mingma, was a Tibetan yak herder. His mother was Dokmo Kinzom, who lived to see his historic climb. Tenzing was the 11th child in a large family of 13 children.

During his youth, he even lived at a monastery to train as a monk.

Norgay built his reputation through years of hard work in the Himalayas. He began his mountaineering career as a high-altitude porter. A porter carries heavy equipment for climbing expeditions. In 1935, he joined his first British Everest reconnaissance expedition. This opportunity came after two other team members failed medical tests. His friend, Ang Tharkay, helped push him forward to join the team. Norgay worked on several official British attempts to climb the northern side of Everest during the 1930s. He also lived in Chitral for a time while working for a Major.

In 1952, Norgay participated in two Swiss expeditions to Everest. These were the first serious attempts to climb from the southern side in Nepal. During one trip, Norgay and Raymond Lambert reached a height of 8,600 meters. This set a new altitude record for climbing at that time. Norgay was considered a full expedition member during this journey. This experience helped him forge strong friendships with Swiss climbers. He also learned the difficult terrain of the southeast ridge.

In 1953, Norgay joined John Hunt's massive British expedition to Everest. This was a huge team effort involving over 400 people. The group included 362 porters and 20 Sherpa guides.

Norgay and Edmund Hillary were chosen to attempt the final summit. On May 28, they moved toward the high camps. On the morning of May 29, they began their final ascent. They had to climb a steep rock face known as the Hillary Step. They reached the summit of Mount Everest at 11:30 a.m.

The pair spent only about 15 minutes at the highest point on Earth. Tenzing left chocolates in the snow as an offering. Hillary left a cross behind. Because they were roped together, they reached the peak as a team.

There was much debate about who reached the top first. Some journalists asked who deserved the glory. Colonel Hunt stated they reached it together. Norgay eventually clarified in his book that Hillary was first. For his bravery, Norgay received the George Medal from Queen Elizabeth II.

After his success, Norgay remained a leader in the mountaineering community. He became the first Director of Field Training at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. In 1975, he served as a sirdar for the first American tourist group in Bhutan. He also founded his own company, Tenzing Norgay Adventures, in 1978. His son, Jamling Tenzing Norgay, continued the family legacy. Jamling reached the summit of Everest in 1996. Tenzing's life connects the traditions of the Sherpa people to the global world of adventure.