COMMEMORATING A HISTORIC OCCASION

Sir Edmund Hillary (left) and Tenzing Norgay approaching the highest camp on Everest at 8,500 metres in May 1953. — Photos: Rolex

On May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary made history with their daring ascent to the summit of Everest, also known as Chomolungma to Sherpas and Tibetans.

Today, Rolex is supporting their legacies in the Himalaya as the families of Norgay and Hillary gather once again near the foot of Everest to celebrate the 70th anniversary of this momentous achievement.

The Himalayan Trust and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Foundation, now run by the climbers’ children, are protecting the region’s environment and empowering its local communities.

To commemorate the event, both family foundations, with support from the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, have refurbished two cultural centres in the Everest region which celebrate the history, traditions, culture and accomplishments of the local communities.

Dedicated to the history and identity of the Sherpa people, these centres will serve as a platform to raise awareness of environmental issues in the area and celebrate the valuable contribution of the Sherpa community to mountaineering.

An exploration of limits

Members of an expedition team led by Sir John Hunt, Nepali-Indian Norgay and New Zealand’s Hillary made history with the first confirmed ascent to the summit of Mount Everest, a place which had always captivated the imaginations of explorers.

When they set foot on the summit on the Mount Everest summit on May 29, 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay achieved something no one else had.

With this one triumphant climb, the duo demonstrated to the world that reaching the summit of Mount Everest was possible.

Rolex had been equipping explorers with watches to test the reliability of the timepieces in harsh conditions across the planet since the 1930s.

In 1953, Rolex equipped the historic Everest expedition, which established a series of camps at increasing elevations before an attempt on the summit. Only two of the climbers, Hillary and Norgay, made it all the way.

Some children play in front of Sir Edmund Hillary's statue at Khumjung School. Hillary worked closely with the local Sherpa community and founded schools, hospitals and health clinics across the region.

A new beginning

Since that momentous climb, the two mountaineers have strived relentlessly to give back to the region that had changed their lives.

The ties between Norgay, Hillary and Rolex have remained strong, and through its Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex continues to support their mission today by working closely with their families’ foundations.

Norgay spent much of his life trying to empower his own Sherpa community, deeply troubled by the loss that families suffered due to frequent injury, and deaths of Sherpa mountaineers.

Dr Mingma Kanchhi Sherpa works at Kunde hospital, founded by Sir Edmund Hillary. She grew up in the area and went to the local primary school, also founded by Hillary. Once she had qualified as a doctor, she returned to her village to work.

He trained young Sherpas to become safer climbers and instilled a sense of adventure and exploration for thousands of students at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling, India, which he helped establish in 1954.

Norgay helped widows become financially independent and upgraded the community’s access to healthcare and employment.

Education was of upmost importance to him, which he sought to improve for the community, hoping this would open up opportunities for future generations to pursue their desired professions.

Norgay’s work continues through the Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Foundation.

Hillary, too, devoted much of his life to the welfare of the Everest region and its people, building hospitals, schools, bridges and the Tenzing-Hillary airport in Lukla through The Himalayan Trust.

Norbu Tenzing acknowledges the achievement of his father, Tenzing Norgay, and Sir Edmund Hillary, saying, 'It was the culmination of a lifelong dream.' After their acclaimed summit, both men chose to support those who live in the region.

His passion for the region’s environment led to the establishment of the Sagarmatha National Park, as well as the reforestation of areas around the foothills of Mount Everest.

Committed to conservation

For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers pushing back the boundaries of human endeavour, from exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet.

Rolex has pledged long-term commitment to supporting individuals and organisations using science to understand and devise solutions to today’s environmental challenges.

This engagement was reinforced with the launch of the Perpetual Planet Initiative in 2019, whose portfolio continues to expand with more than 20 partners.

These include Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen in their work as conservation photographers; Rewilding Argentina and Rewilding Chile, offspring organisations of Tompkins Conservation, which are protecting landscapes in South America; Coral Gardeners, transplanting resilient corals to reefs; the Under The Pole expeditions, pushing the boundaries of underwater exploration; and Steve Boyes and the Great Spine of Africa series of expeditions, exploring the continent’s major river basins.

Rolex also supports organisations and initiatives fostering the next generations of explorers, scientists and conservationists through scholarships and grants.