Tenzing Norgay is one of the most famous mountaineers in history. He was born in 1914 in the village of Thame in Nepal. His father was a yak herder and his mother was a Sherpa. He was the 11th of 13 children.
Tenzing was introduced to mountaineering at a young age. He was hired as a porter for a British expedition to Mount Everest in 1935. He was only 21 years old at the time. He was so impressed with the experience that he decided to become a professional mountaineer.
Tenzing worked as a porter for several expeditions in the Himalayas. He was part of the Swiss expedition to Mount Everest in 1952. He was chosen to be part of the team that would attempt to reach the summit of the mountain.
On May 29, 1953, Tenzing and his climbing partner, Edmund Hillary, became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest. They spent 15 minutes at the top before beginning their descent. Tenzing and Hillary were both awarded the George Medal by Queen Elizabeth II for their achievement.
Tenzing continued to climb for the rest of his life. He was part of the first successful ascent of Kangchenjunga in 1955. He also climbed Cho Oyu, Makalu, and Lhotse. He was part of the first American expedition to the summit of Everest in 1963.
Tenzing was also an advocate for the Sherpa people. He was a founding member of the Himalayan Trust, which works to improve the lives of the Sherpa people. He was also a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations.
Tenzing died in 1986 at the age of 72. He was buried in his home village of Thame. He is remembered as one of the greatest mountaineers in history. His legacy lives on in the many people who have followed in his footsteps and attempted to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Tenzing Norgay is an inspiration to many people. He showed that with hard work and determination, anything is possible. He is a reminder that no matter where you come from, you can achieve great things. His legacy will live on for generations to come.