After the first conquest of Mount Everest in 1953 by New Zealand'sEdmund 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 just 700 feet from the goal, but due to extremely bad weather they had to turn back. 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 below the peak at 28,600 feet, but had to give up due to bad weather. 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.
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 and the youngest 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. 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 MinisterLal Bahadur Shastri headed the reception at the airport. In another unprecedented move, an Arjuna Award for the entire team and Padma Bhushan for three members including team leader and Padma Shree 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. 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 and the youngest climbed Everest together
First Nepalese to climb Everest – Phu Dorjee Sherpa
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.
