Gurdial Singh (mountaineer)

2021-04-22T09:21:53Z

2405:201:4006:CF2A:814B:CFB6:7071:AFF5: clarify

{{for|the Punjabi writer|Gurdial Singh}}
{{short description|Indian mountaineer}}
{{Infobox mountaineer
| name = Gurdial Singh
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| main_discipline = Mountaineer
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1924|01|01}}
| nationality = {{flagicon|IND}} [[India]]n
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| notable_ascents = - Led the first Indian expedition to [[Trisul]] (1951)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/17/10/trisul-1951/|title=TRISUL, 1951 : Himalayan Journal vol.17/10|website=www.himalayanclub.org}}</ref><br>- First ascent of [[Mrigthuni]] (1958)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/21/9/mrigthuni-1958/|title=MRIGTHUNI, 1958 : Himalayan Journal vol.21/9|website=www.himalayanclub.org}}</ref><br>- Member of the first Indian expedition to [[Mount Everest]] (1965)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/ZDIwIHEyFLl1y3lVvqtQ5J/The-first-Indians-on-Everest.html|title=The first Indians on Everest|first=Padmaparna Ghosh,Rudraneil|last=Sengupta|date=16 May 2015|website=mint}}</ref>
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[[File:Gurdial Singh performing Shirshasana on the summit of Mt. Trisul, The Doon School expedition, 1951.png|thumb|A colourised image of Gurdial Singh performing [[Shirshasana]] on the summit of [[Trisul]] in 1951. Mountaineer and chronicler [[Harish Kapadia]] has written in his book, ''Across Peaks & Passes in Garhwal Himalaya'': "To my mind, it was when Gurdial Singh climbed Trisul in 1951 that was the beginning of the age of mountaineering for Indians."<ref>Kapadia, Harish. ''Across Peaks & Passes in Garhwal Himalaya'' (1999). Indus Publishing. p.15</ref>]]

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}

'''Gurdial Singh''' (born 1 January 1924) is an [[India]]n [[mountaineer]] who led the first mountaineering expedition of independent India to [[Trisul]] (7,120 metres) in 1951. In 1958, he led the team that made the first ascent of [[Mrigthuni]] (6,855 metres).<ref>{{cite web|author=site admin |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/books/story/19891031-book-review-m.s.-kohli-vikas-mountaineering-in-india-816684-1989-10-31 |title=New heights - Society & The Arts News - Issue Date: Oct 31, 1989 |publisher=Indiatoday.in |date=1989-10-31 |access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref><ref>The Times, Wednesday, 4 July 1951; pg. 5; Issue 52044; col B</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/2012/05/03195605/Vertical-limit.html |title=Vertical limit - Travel |publisher=livemint.com |date=2012-05-04 |access-date=2012-05-16}}</ref> In 1965, he was a member of the first successful Indian expedition team to climb [[Mount Everest]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/50-years-later-its-happily-Everest-after/articleshow/46893756.cms |title=50 years later, it's happily Everest after | India News - Times of India |publisher=Timesofindia.indiatimes.com |date=2015-04-12 |access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Padmaparna Ghosh, Rudraneil Sengupta |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/ZDIwIHEyFLl1y3lVvqtQ5J/The-first-Indians-on-Everest.html |title=The first Indians on Everest |publisher=Livemint.com |access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=121884 |title=PM meets members of 1965 Everest Expedition on the golden jubilee of the occasion |publisher=Pib.gov.in |date=1965-05-20 |access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref>

Singh also led many expeditions at [[The Doon School]], where he was a teacher, and [[Role of The Doon School in Indian mountaineering|along with other Doon masters and students]] was instrumental in establishing a [[Mountaineering in India|mountaineering culture in post-Independence India]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Anderson |first=Richard |date=2001 |title=Climbing with Doon School |journal=[[Alpine Journal]] |location=London |url=https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_2001_files/AJ%202001%20197-201%20Anderson%20Doon%20School.pdf }}</ref> Singh has been described as "the first true Indian mountaineer", and in 2020, the [[Himalayan 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."<ref>[[Himalayan Journal]], Volume 75, ''This Is His Life: Gurdial Singh''</ref>

==Life and career==

Gurdial Singh joined [[The Doon School]] in 1945 and it was here that he was influenced by Englishmen such as [[John Martyn (schoolmaster)|John Martyn]], [[R.L. Holdsworth]] and [[Jack Gibson (schoolmaster)|Jack Gibson]] to take up mountaineering. The first headmaster of Doon [[Arthur Foot]] was a member of the Alpine Club.<ref>http://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_2001_files/AJ%202001%20197-201%20Anderson%20Doon%20School.pdf</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mag/2002/02/24/stories/2002022400630800.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020428043058/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mag/2002/02/24/stories/2002022400630800.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2002-04-28 |title=Climb every mountain |date=2002-02-24 |access-date=2012-05-16 |work=[[The Hindu]] |location=Chennai, India}}</ref> Together, they scaled many peaks including [[Bandarpunch]], [[Trisul]], [[Kamet]], [[Abi Gamin]] and [[Nanda Devi]].<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/62/16/early-years-of-indian-mountaineering/ |title=Early Years of Indian Mountaineering |publisher=Himalayan Club |access-date=2012-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020203/spectrum/book6.htm |title=The Sunday Tribune - Spectrum - Books |publisher=Tribuneindia.com |date=2002-02-03 |access-date=2012-05-16}}</ref> He was the first Indian member of the famed [[Alpine Club]], which was "a club of English gentlemen devoted to mountaineering".<ref name=autogenerated1/> In 1965, Singh climbed [[Mount Everest]] as a member of the first successful Indian expedition, led by [[Mohan Singh Kohli]].

==Awards==
Apart from being the first Indian to be included in the [[Alpine Club]], Singh was given the [[Arjuna Award]] in 1965 for his contributions towards Indian mountaineering. In 1967, Singh was awarded [[Padma Shri]].,<ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://india.gov.in/myindia/padmashri_awards_list1.php |title=National Portal of India |publisher=India.gov.in |date=2020-03-29 |access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref> the fourth highest civilian award in India. In 2007, Gurdial Singh was given a Lifetime Achievement Award and the [[Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award]] for his contributions towards Indian mountaineering.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/30/stories/2007083061882200.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071119113809/http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/30/stories/2007083061882200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=2007-11-19 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title='Olympic gold is my aim' | date=2007-08-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/citys-oldbutyoungatheart-citizens/223491/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122143747/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/citys-oldbutyoungatheart-citizens/223491/|url-status=dead|title=City's old-but-young-at-heart citizens - Express India|archive-date=2013-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indianmountaineeringfoundation.com/10sep43agbm.html|title=IMF: News: Basic Climbers Training Camp}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Role of The Doon School in Indian mountaineering]]

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist}}

;Bibliography
*[https://books.google.com/books/about/For_Hills_to_Climb.html?id=3sVlHQAACAAJ ''For Hills to Climb''] by Gurdial Singh, Nandu JayalPublished by Doon School Old Boys' Society, 2001.
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=vUnF8fl2dzcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=indian+englishman&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GjSzT_iVIsmrrAfKgKnsCQ&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=gurdial%20singh&f=false An Indian Englishman] by Jack Gibson 2008 {{ISBN|9781435734616}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Sports}}
{{Indian mountaineers}}
{{The Doon School|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Gurdial}}
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in sports]]
[[Category:The Doon School faculty]]
[[Category:Mountain climbers from Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian mountain climbers]]
[[Category:People from Uttarkashi]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]

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Gurdial Singh (mountaineer)