Sir Edmund Hillary, a humble man who was the first man to climb the Mount Everest, died at the age of 88 years in New Zealand. He developed a special bond with Nepal mainly because of his friendship with Tenzing Norgay and the help that the latter provided to him in his successful ascent to the top of the world. Ed Hillary later spent time in Nepal trying to build schools and clinics for the people of Nepal. He also became the High Commisioner to India.
May his soul rest in peace.
Edmund Hillary, first atop Everest, dies
Obituaries
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PKBasu
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Re: Obituaries
Edmund Hillary was a great man, and a magnificent mountaineer and adventurer. But this rings utterly false: "Humble to the point that he only admitted being the first man atop Everest long after the death of climbing companion Norgay." Admitted? Humble? Sorry, these were false claims, and the fact that he made them after Tenzing's death made them all the more despicable. The simple fact is that NOBODY could have climbed Mt. Everest without the help of the leading Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, who "accompanied" (in fact, led) each of the last 7 attempts on the mountain before it was finally conquered by him and Hillary together in 1953.
I have read three biographies of Tenzing, three of his sons (and two grandsons) were my school-mates (and his daughter was in-charge of my boarding-school dormitory). Hillary had already made some claims in his autobiography about how Tenzing was tiring and he (Hillary) got to the top first. In his gentle, unassuming manner, Tenzing debunked such notions. They did it together, Hillary could never have made it without Tenzing -- and it is absurd for one (especially the less accomplished one) to claim that he got there first, and worse for the world to quietly accept this.
I have read three biographies of Tenzing, three of his sons (and two grandsons) were my school-mates (and his daughter was in-charge of my boarding-school dormitory). Hillary had already made some claims in his autobiography about how Tenzing was tiring and he (Hillary) got to the top first. In his gentle, unassuming manner, Tenzing debunked such notions. They did it together, Hillary could never have made it without Tenzing -- and it is absurd for one (especially the less accomplished one) to claim that he got there first, and worse for the world to quietly accept this.
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jai_in_canada
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Re: Obituaries
Great explorer. I would not dub him the greatest explorer.
Humble? Nope!!
His comment "We knocked the bastard off!" after climbing Everest shows that. A sherpa was loath to stand on top of the mountain they consider a Goddess. And this white dude calls it a "bastard!"
And saying that he was first to get on top of Everest after Tenzing's death is no admission, it is a claim - and it is unverifiable and not honorable.
On the positive side, he seems to have done a lot of good in Nepal. Although, now Everest is being littered big time.
Humble? Nope!!
His comment "We knocked the bastard off!" after climbing Everest shows that. A sherpa was loath to stand on top of the mountain they consider a Goddess. And this white dude calls it a "bastard!"
And saying that he was first to get on top of Everest after Tenzing's death is no admission, it is a claim - and it is unverifiable and not honorable.
On the positive side, he seems to have done a lot of good in Nepal. Although, now Everest is being littered big time.
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BSharma
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Re: Obituaries
The two people who would have known the first person to climb the Mount Everest are now dead and one never spoke about it publicly and the other named the first climber after the death of the other climber.
It is hard for me to imagine that a "sahib" in 1953 would allow a sherpa to become the first person to climb the Mt. Everest unless the sherpa was leading the way to cut the steps on the mountain and unknowingly to both the climbers, the sherpa reached the peak.
IMHO, the right thing to do would have been for both of them to step on the peak simultaneously, provided one of them did not stumble at the top of the world unknowingly. One could not have reached the peak without the help of the other and both deserved the honor of being the first to climb the mountain.
The comment about "knocking off the bast***" reflects the way the white man treated the natives and their customs and beliefs in tthat time period. For the white man in 1950s, Mt Everest was a mountain that needed to be tamed; for many people living in Nepal, the mountain was more than a mountain.
One should give credit to Ed Hillary for the work that he did to uplift the people in Nepal, especially the sherpas who helped him become famous, after he had climbed Mt. Everest. Unlike many other climbers who did nothing for the people who helped them achieve mountaineering success, Hillary worked hard to raise funds for them. The sherpas have great respect for him (from what I have read so far). Mt. Everest is being littered by each group of mountaineers who try to climb it. The Japanese have tried to clean up the mountain to some extent.
It is hard for me to imagine that a "sahib" in 1953 would allow a sherpa to become the first person to climb the Mt. Everest unless the sherpa was leading the way to cut the steps on the mountain and unknowingly to both the climbers, the sherpa reached the peak.
IMHO, the right thing to do would have been for both of them to step on the peak simultaneously, provided one of them did not stumble at the top of the world unknowingly. One could not have reached the peak without the help of the other and both deserved the honor of being the first to climb the mountain.
The comment about "knocking off the bast***" reflects the way the white man treated the natives and their customs and beliefs in tthat time period. For the white man in 1950s, Mt Everest was a mountain that needed to be tamed; for many people living in Nepal, the mountain was more than a mountain.
One should give credit to Ed Hillary for the work that he did to uplift the people in Nepal, especially the sherpas who helped him become famous, after he had climbed Mt. Everest. Unlike many other climbers who did nothing for the people who helped them achieve mountaineering success, Hillary worked hard to raise funds for them. The sherpas have great respect for him (from what I have read so far). Mt. Everest is being littered by each group of mountaineers who try to climb it. The Japanese have tried to clean up the mountain to some extent.
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jai_in_canada
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Re: Obituaries - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Anyone catch the passing of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi? Care to comment?
hmmm.... very interesting that no one cared to comment! No matter what one said about the Maharishi, the one thing he did was evoke commentary - for and against. For the record, I am a big fan and am sad at his passing.
hmmm.... very interesting that no one cared to comment! No matter what one said about the Maharishi, the one thing he did was evoke commentary - for and against. For the record, I am a big fan and am sad at his passing.
Last edited by jai_in_canada on Sat Feb 09, 2008 5:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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BSharma
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Re: Obituaries
I created the "Obituaries" thread to discuss deaths of important personalities; it may perhaps be permissible to break a rule once in a while.
For the past 24 years, I had played tennis nearly every Wednesday noon with my tennis buddy, my mentor and my good friend. He was the Chief of Pediatrics when he hired me and within a few months, we started playing tennis together every week. He later became the Dean and then retired, but continued to teach and see patients daily. He loved tennis, had attended college on a tennis scholarship, went to Emory to become a doctor, and later became a cancer specialist. He was an outstanding clinician and was a master at giving bad news about a child’s newly diagnosed cancer to the parents, or that a sick child is going to die shortly. I often think about how he would do it whenever I have to convey bad news to a patient’s family.
I remember that Leander Paes was diagnosed with a brain lesion on Wednesday because I had just returned after playing tennis with my buddy when I heard the news about the Indian tennis ace. It was a Wednesday when my friend suffered a heart attack while playing tennis with me about 16 years back. Six months later, he was back on the tennis court and kept up his end of the bargain to play every Wednesday – rain or shine.
Last night he suffered his second heart attack – a massive one – and died at home before medical help could arrive.
May his soul rest in peace.
For the past 24 years, I had played tennis nearly every Wednesday noon with my tennis buddy, my mentor and my good friend. He was the Chief of Pediatrics when he hired me and within a few months, we started playing tennis together every week. He later became the Dean and then retired, but continued to teach and see patients daily. He loved tennis, had attended college on a tennis scholarship, went to Emory to become a doctor, and later became a cancer specialist. He was an outstanding clinician and was a master at giving bad news about a child’s newly diagnosed cancer to the parents, or that a sick child is going to die shortly. I often think about how he would do it whenever I have to convey bad news to a patient’s family.
I remember that Leander Paes was diagnosed with a brain lesion on Wednesday because I had just returned after playing tennis with my buddy when I heard the news about the Indian tennis ace. It was a Wednesday when my friend suffered a heart attack while playing tennis with me about 16 years back. Six months later, he was back on the tennis court and kept up his end of the bargain to play every Wednesday – rain or shine.
Last night he suffered his second heart attack – a massive one – and died at home before medical help could arrive.
May his soul rest in peace.
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jai_in_canada
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Re: Obituaries
I am very sorry to hear of the loss of your dear friend and mentor, Dr. Sharma. My condolences to you and others that were close to him.
Re: Obituaries
I am very sorry to hear about your friend's demise. I hope you will find the strength and inspiration to carry on his amazing skills as a doctor as well as a friend/tennis player.
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jaydeep
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Re: Obituaries
My deepest condolences Doc. And also thanks for sharing ur feelings and thoughts about ur dear friend and mentor.
Jaydeep.
Jaydeep.
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suresh
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Re: Obituaries
Dear Bhushan,
Please accept my sincere and heartfelt condolences on the passing away of your mentor and friend. May his soul rest in peace.
Suresh
Please accept my sincere and heartfelt condolences on the passing away of your mentor and friend. May his soul rest in peace.
Suresh