Avtar Singh Cheema


Avtar Singh Cheema was the first Indian man and sixteenth person in world to climb Mount Everest. Along with 8 others he was a part of the third mission undertaken by the Indian Army, in 1965, to climb Mt. Everest after two failed attempts.
The Indian Everest Expedition 1965 put 9 mountaineers on the summit on 20 May, a record that lasted 17 years, and was led by Captain M S Kohli. Cheema's fellow summiters were Nawang Gombu, Sonam Gyatso, Sonam Wangyal, Chandra Prakash Vohra, Ang Kami, H. P. S. Ahluwalia, Harish Chandra Singh Rawat and Phu Dorjee. He was a captain in the 7th Bn Parachute regiment at that time. Later he was promoted to colonel. He is also founder of Guru Harkrishan Public School in Sri Ganganagar District, Rajasthan.

Honors and Awards

He was awarded Arjuna award and Padma Shri for his achievements.