Avtar Singh Cheema was the first Indian to climb Mount Everest, reaching the summit on May 20, 1965 as part of the 1965 Indian Everest Expedition. He was a Captain in the Parachute regiment at the time and later promoted to Colonel.
The expedition was led by Mohan Singh Kohli and included 21 core members and around 50 climbing Sherpas. After two failed attempts by the Indian Army in 1960 and 1962. the 1965 expedition was meticulously planned and executed.
On May 20, 1965, Cheema became the first Indian to stand atop Everest. This historic achievement electrified the nation and inspired countless future climbers. Cheema was awarded the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri for his outstanding accomplishment
The 1965 Indian Everest Expedition set several records, including most climbers reaching the summit in one expedition. Between 1965 and 2018, 422 Indian climbers made 465 attempts to climb Everest.
Avtar Singh Cheema’s pioneering summit paved the way for generations of Indian mountaineers to follow in his footsteps to the world’s highest peak.
