On this day in the year 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest, becoming the first climbers to scale the highest peak in the world.

A beekeeper from New Zealand, Edmund Hillary, and the Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay achieved the feat after spending a restless night at 27,900 feet. The expedition was organized by Britain’s joint Himalaya Committee and led by Colonel John Hunt.

For this expedition, Hunt selected a group of people who were good and experienced in climbing mountains. There was also a filmmaker, a physiologist along with the climbing team. They had made 9 camps on their way up, some of which are being still used by climbers now.

After years of dreaming and seven weeks of climbing, both the climbers reached the top of Mount Everest at 11:30 a.m. on 29th May 1953. The news of their achievement broke around the world on June 2, the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

India Postal Department has issued a miniature sheet consisting of 1 postage stamp on the Golden Jubilee of the Ascent of Mount Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hilary.

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