H. P. S. Ahluwalia


Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia is an Indian mountaineer, author, social worker and retired Indian Army officer. During his career he has made contributions in the fields of adventure, sports, environment, disability and social work. He is the sixth Indian man and twenty first man in world that climbed Mount Everest. On 29 May, 12 years to the day from the first ascent of Mount Everest the fourth and last summit with H. C. S. Rawat, Phu Dorjee Sherpa Ahluwalia made the summit. This was the first time three climbers stood on the summit together
Following his advanced training at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling, he climbed extensively in Sikkim, Nepal and later he climbed Mount Everest on 29 May 1965. The 1965 Indian Army expedition was the first successful Indian Expedition to Everest which put 9 mountaineers on top, a record to last 17 years led by Captain M S Kohli. He along with Avtar Singh Cheema, Nawang Gombu Sherpa, Sonam Gyatso, Sonam Wangyal, C.P. Vohra, Ang Kami Sherpa, Harish Chandra Singh Rawat and Phu Dorjee Sherpa successfully summited the peak in 1965 and became the first Indians to climb Mount Everest. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, he suffered a bullet injury to his spine which resulted in his confinement to a wheelchair. Presently, he is the Chairman of Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. He has written thirteen books and has also produced an award-winning serial, Beyond Himalaya, which has been telecast all over the world on Discovery and National Geographic channels.

Early life

Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia was born on 6 November 1936 and brought up in Shimla along with his two sisters and two younger brothers. His father was employed as a Civil Engineer in the Indian Central Public Works Department.
For his academic career he went to St Joseph's Academy, Dehradun and St. George's College, Mussoorie. There, he discovered his interest in photography and rock climbing. Along with graduation, his interest in rock-climbing increased. Some of the places where Ahluwalia did his rock climbing are Garhwal, Sikkim, Nepal, Ladakh, and of course Mount Everest.

Military career

After his graduation Ahluwalia joined the Indian Army as an officer, receiving a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army Electrical-Mechanical Engineering branch on 14 December 1958. He was promoted to lieutenant on 14 December 1960 and to captain on 14 December 1964. Seeing action during the 1965 war with Pakistan, he was wounded by a bullet in his spine, which left him confined to a wheelchair. He received an early discharge from the Army on 8 January 1968, with the honorary rank of major.

Expeditions and adventures

After treatment at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England, he continued to pursue his love for adventure by organising pioneering events such as the first Ski Expedition to Mount Trisul, the first Trans-Himalaya Motor Expedition, and the Central Asia Cultural Expedition following the Silk & Marco Polo's Route through Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, entering China in the Asian City of Kashgar, Yarkhand and returned via Tibet and Kathmandu.
Ahluwalia has also been the President of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and Delhi Mountaineering Association. He was also the Chairman of Special Ability Trust, Youth Exploring Society, Rehabilitation Council of India, Chairman of Planning Committee of Persons with Disability of 12-year plan and Chairman of the Committee of Drafting Country Report.

Professional career

Realizing the needs of persons with spinal injury, Ahluwalia, with the support of his friends, set up the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India in 1993. He also served as an IOFS officer.

Positions

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Padma Bhushan
Padma Shri
Wound Medal
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Samanya Seva Medal
Samar Seva Star
Raksha Medal
9 Years Long Service Medal

National Awards