Hills demand Bharat Ratna for Tenzing Norgay

Darjeeling: On the occasion of "International Everest Day," West Bengal Tourism Minister Goutam Deb has raised the demand that the Indian Government confer "Bharat Ratna" posthumously on iconic mountaineer Late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa.

"It should have happened even without people demanding. The West Bengal Government in the past has

written to the Union Government regarding this. Darjeeling MP Raju Bista should take up this issue immediately with Union Youth Affairs

Minister Kiran Rijiju," stated Minister Deb at an Everest

Day commemoration at

Siliguri. It has been a long wait for Tenzing Norgay's family and the wait continues. Despite assurances from the government including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the legendary mountaineer is yet to receive the Bharat Ratna posthumously.

On May 29, 1953, Tenzing accompanying the British Everest Expedition led by Col. John Hunt had climbed Everest along with Sir Edmund Hillary thereby creating history.

"It is high time that the Indian Government recognize my father's achievement. So many years have passed yet there is no action on the part of the government.

Neither the Congress Government nor the BJP Government lived up to their assurances. It is truly sad," said Jamling Tenzing, son of Tenzing Norgay. Tenzing Norgay put the name of India on the globe and the HMI, Darjeeling was formed to create thousands of Tenzings."My father planted the Indian Tricolour atop Everest, yet this country failed to give him his due honours," said Jamling.