Tenzing Norgay facts for kids
.jpg)  Norgay in Stockholm, Sweden, in November 1967
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Namgyal Wangdi |
| Main discipline | Mountaineer |
| Born | 29 May 1914 Khumbu, Solukhumbu District, Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal |
| Died | 9 May 1986 (aged 71) Darjeeling, West Bengal, India |
| Nationality | Nepalese, Indian |
| Career | |
| Starting age | 19 years |
| Starting discipline | Porter |
| Notable ascents | First ascent of Mount Everest, May 1953 |
| Famous partnerships | Edmund Hillary |
| Family | |
| Spouse |
Dawa Phuti
(m. 1935; died 1944)Ang Lahmu
(m. 1945; died 1964)Dakku (m. before or in 1964) |
| Children | 7, including Jamling, Norbu |
Tenzing Norgay was a famous Nepali-Indian Sherpa mountaineer. He was born as Namgyal Wangdi. Many people also called him Sherpa Tenzing. He is known for being one of the first two people to reach the top of Mount Everest. He did this with Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953. Time magazine even named him one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century.
Contents
Early Life of Tenzing Norgay
Tenzing Norgay's early life has a few different stories. In his own book, he said he was born and grew up in Tengboche, Khumbu, in Nepal. But in an interview, he mentioned his parents were from Tibet, and he was born in Nepal. Other stories, including a book by his son Jamling, say he was born in Tibet. He spent his early years in Kharta. Later, he moved to Nepal to work for a Sherpa family.
Khumbu is a region close to Mount Everest. The local people, the Tibetans and Sherpas, call Mount Everest Chomolungma. This name means "Holy Mother" or "goddess of the summit" in their language. Tenzing Norgay followed Buddhism, which is the main religion of the Sherpas and Tibetans.
Tenzing didn't know his exact birthday. But he knew it was in late May because of the weather and crops. After he climbed Everest on May 29, 1953, he decided to celebrate his birthday on that day every year. He was likely born in 1914.
His first name was Namgyal Wangdi. But a wise religious leader, a lama, suggested changing it. So, he became "Tenzing Norgay," which means "wealthy-fortunate-follower-of-religion." His father was a yak herder. Tenzing was one of 13 children, but many of them died young. His mother lived long enough to see him climb Everest.
When he was a teenager, Tenzing ran away from home twice. First, he went to Kathmandu. Then, he went to Darjeeling, India. Darjeeling was a popular starting point for climbing trips in the Himalayas. He was once sent to a monastery to become a monk, but he decided it wasn't for him. At 19, he settled in Darjeeling with other Sherpas.
Tenzing's Climbing Adventures
Tenzing Norgay got his first chance to join an Everest trip when he was 20. This was in 1935. He became a high-altitude porter, carrying supplies for climbers. His friend, Ang Tharkay, helped him get the spot. The expedition leader, Eric Shipton, was impressed by Tenzing's smile.
In the 1930s, Tenzing worked on three British attempts to climb Everest from the northern side in Tibet. He also joined other climbs in different parts of India. For a while, he lived in a place called Chitral. His first wife died there. He returned to Darjeeling in 1947. He even managed to travel across India by train without a ticket, wearing an old military uniform.
In 1947, Tenzing tried to climb Everest again. He went with two other climbers, Earl Denman and Ange Dawa Sherpa. They entered Tibet without permission. A big storm stopped them at 22,000 feet (6,700 meters). They had to turn back safely. In the same year, Tenzing became a sirdar (a leader of Sherpa porters) for the first time. He helped rescue another sirdar who was badly hurt. This team reached the top of Kedarnath mountain at 22,769 feet (6,940 meters).
Swiss Everest Expeditions (1952)
In 1952, Tenzing joined two Swiss climbing trips. These were the first serious attempts to climb Everest from the southern side in Nepal. Tenzing Norgay and Raymond Lambert climbed to a record height of about 28,199 feet (8,595 meters) on the southeast ridge. This was a new record for how high anyone had climbed. This expedition found a new route on Everest. Tenzing was treated as a full member of the team, which was a great honor for him. He became good friends with Raymond Lambert.
Reaching the Top of Mount Everest
In 1953, Tenzing Norgay joined John Hunt's expedition. Tenzing had already been to Everest six times before. On this trip, he met Edmund Hillary. Hillary almost fell into a deep crack in the ice, but Tenzing quickly used his ice axe to secure the rope and save him. After this, Hillary knew Tenzing was the best climbing partner.
At the time, newspapers called Tenzing by many different names. The Hunt expedition was very large, with over 400 people. This included 362 porters, 20 Sherpa guides, and 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) of gear. Climbing Everest was a huge team effort.
The team set up their main camp in March 1953. They slowly moved up the mountain, setting up smaller camps. Their second-to-last camp was at the South Col, at 25,900 feet (7,900 meters). On May 26, Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans tried to reach the top. But they had to turn back because Evans' oxygen system stopped working. They got very close, just 300 feet (91 meters) below the summit. Then, Hunt told Tenzing and Hillary to try for the top.
Snow and wind kept Tenzing and Hillary at the South Col for two days. They started their climb on May 28 with three support climbers. Tenzing and Hillary set up a tent at 27,900 feet (8,500 meters) that day. Their support team then went back down. The next morning, Hillary found his boots frozen solid outside the tent. He spent two hours warming them up. Then, he and Tenzing started their final climb, carrying 30-pound (14 kg) packs.
The last part of the climb included a 40-foot (12-meter) rock face. This part was later named the "Hillary Step." Hillary found a way to climb up a crack between the rock and the ice. Tenzing followed him.
From there, the rest of the climb was easier. They reached Everest's summit, the highest point on Earth, at 29,028 feet (8,848 meters). It was 11:30 a.m. Hillary said, "A few more whacks of the ice axe in the firm snow, and we stood on top."
They stayed at the top for about 15 minutes. Hillary took a famous photo of Tenzing posing with his ice axe. But Tenzing had never used a camera, so there is no photo of Hillary on the summit. Tenzing later wrote that he offered to take Hillary's picture, but Hillary said no. They took other photos looking down the mountain to prove they had reached the top. Going down was tricky because snow had covered their tracks. The first person they met on the way down was George Lowe, who had climbed up to meet them with hot soup.
After their success, Tenzing was celebrated in Nepal and India. Hillary and Hunt were made knights by Queen Elizabeth II. Tenzing received the George Medal for his efforts. Some people believe the Indian prime minister did not allow Tenzing to be knighted.
Journalists kept asking who reached the top first. Colonel Hunt, the expedition leader, said, "They reached it together, as a team." Tenzing later said in his 1955 book that Hillary was first. An American writer helped Tenzing write his book because Tenzing could speak many languages but could not read or write.
Life After Everest
After climbing Everest, Tenzing Norgay became the first Director of Field Training at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling. This institute was set up in 1954.
In 1975, Tenzing Norgay guided the first American tourist group allowed into Bhutan. He met the group in India before their trip. The trek started in Paro, Bhutan. They visited Tiger's Nest, an old Buddhist monastery. Tenzing even introduced the group to the King of Sikkim. He also invited them to his home in India for a farewell party.
In 1978, Tenzing Norgay started his own company, Tenzing Norgay Adventures. This company offers trekking trips in the Himalayas. As of 2021, his son Jamling Tenzing Norgay runs the company. Jamling also climbed Everest in 1996.
Awards and Honors
In 1938, Tenzing received the Tiger Medal from the Himalayan Club. This was for his hard work at high altitudes.
On June 7, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II wanted to honor Tenzing. On July 1, it was announced that he would receive the George Medal. He also got the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. In 2013, Tenzing's grandson said he thought his grandfather should have been knighted.
In 1953, King Tribhuvan of Nepal gave him the Order of the Star of Nepal. In 1959, the Indian government gave him the Padma Bhushan. This is India's third-highest award for civilians. The Indian Mountaineering Foundation also gave him a gold medal.
In 1963, the Soviet Union gave Tenzing the honorary title of "Merited Master of Sport of the USSR." He was the first person from another country to get this award.
In 2013, Nepal suggested naming a 7,916-meter (25,971-foot) mountain in his honor. This mountain is now called Tenzing Peak. In 2015, a tall mountain range on the dwarf planet Pluto was named Tenzing Montes after him.
Family and Passing
Tenzing Norgay was married three times. His first wife, Dawa Phuti, died young in 1944. They had a son who died young, and two daughters named Pem Pem and Nima. Pem Pem's son, Tashi Tenzing, also climbed Everest.
His second wife was Ang Lahmu, who was his first wife's cousin. They did not have children together, but she helped raise his daughters.
His third wife was Dakku. He married her while his second wife was still alive, which was allowed by Sherpa custom. They had three sons: Norbu, Jamling, and Dhamey. They also had a daughter named Deki. In 2003, Jamling climbed Everest with Peter Hillary, Edmund Hillary's son. This was 50 years after their fathers' famous climb.
Tenzing Norgay had other relatives who were climbers. His nephews, Nawang Gombu and Topgay, were part of the 1953 Everest expedition. His grandson, Tenzing Trainor, became an actor on the show Liv and Maddie.
Tenzing Norgay passed away in Darjeeling, India, on May 9, 1986. He was 71 years old. He died from a brain hemorrhage. His body was cremated at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling, a place he loved. His wife Dakku died in 1992.
Tenzing Norgay's Legacy
Awards Named After Him
- In 2003, to celebrate 50 years since Tenzing climbed Everest, the Indian government renamed its highest award for adventure sports after him. It is now called the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.
In Books and Movies
- In 2011, an Indian comic book company released a children's comic book about Tenzing Norgay.
- In the 2003 movie Intolerable Cruelty, Tenzing Norgay is mentioned by a character.
Places Named After Him
- A building at Everest Court in Mottingham, England, is named after him.
- In January 2008, Lukla Airport in Nepal was renamed Tenzing–Hillary Airport to honor both climbers.
- Tenzing Montes is an icy mountain range on the dwarf planet Pluto.
- A small planet, 6481 Tenzing, is also named in his honor.
Other Honors
- Some Red pandas at zoos are named after him.
- The energy drink brand TENZING is named in his honor.
See also
In Spanish: Tenzing Norgay para niños Relatives of Tenzing Norgay:
- Nawang Gombu Sherpa
- Jamling Tenzing Norgay
- Tashi Tenzing
- Lobsang Tshering
