| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Born | (1924-01-01)1 January 1924 |
| Died | 30 May 2023(2023-05-30) (aged 99) Chandigarh, India |
| Climbing career | |
| Major ascents | - Led the first Indian expedition toTrisul (1951)[1] - First ascent ofMrigthuni (1958)[2] - Member of the first Indian expedition toMount Everest (1965)[3] |
Gurdial Singh (1 January 1924 – 30 May 2023) was an Indian schoolteacher andmountaineer who led the first mountaineering expedition of independent India toTrisul (7,120 metres) in 1951. In 1958, he led the team that made the first ascent ofMrigthuni (6,855 metres).[4][5][6] In 1965, he was a member of the first successful Indian expedition team to climbMount Everest.[7][3][8]
Singh also led many expeditions atThe Doon School, where he was a geography teacher, andalong with other Doon masters and students was instrumental in establishing a mountaineering culture in post-Independence India.[9] Singh has been described as "the first true Indian mountaineer", and in 2020, theHimalayan Journal noted "Gurdial climbed for pleasure, to enjoy the mountains in the company of friends, to savour the beauty and grandeur of the high ranges, not to find fame or bag summits."[10]
Gurdial Singh joinedThe Doon School in 1945 and it was here that he was influenced by Englishmen such asJohn Martyn,R.L. Holdsworth andJack Gibson to take up mountaineering. The first headmaster of DoonArthur Foot was a member of the Alpine Club.[9][11] Together, they scaled many peaks includingBandarpunch,Trisul,Kamet,Abi Gamin andNanda Devi.[12][13] He was the first Indian member of the famedAlpine Club, which was "a club of English gentlemen devoted to mountaineering".[12] In 1965, Singh was a member of the first Indian expedition to successfully climbMount Everest. The expedition was led byMohan Singh Kohli and Singh reached the South Col with the first group to attempt the summit.[14]
Singh remained unmarried throughout his life, and often said that he was "married to the mountains".[10][15] He died following complications due to a hip fracture andchikungunya at his home in Chandigarh, on 30 May 2023. Singh was 99.[15]
Apart from being the first Indian to be included in theAlpine Club, Singh was given theArjuna Award in 1965 for his contributions towards Indian mountaineering. In 1967, Singh was awardedPadma Shri,[12][16] the fourth highest civilian award in India. In 2007, Gurdial Singh was given a Lifetime Achievement Award and theTenzing Norgay National Adventure Award for his contributions towards Indian mountaineering.[17][18][19]
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