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Profile of Tenzing Norgay On May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay and teammate Edmund Hillary reached the summit of Mt. Everest. Tenzing received instant acclaim for his unprecedented achievement. He quickly became a global ambassador for the Sherpa people. Here are a few facts to know: Born: 1914. This is an approximation based on the Tibetan lunar calendar. At the time of Tenzing's birth, the Sherpas did not keep written birth records. Birthplace: Tsa-chu, Nepal. Raised in: Thami, Nepal (a village near the border of Tibet, and close to Mt. Everest). Family: One of 13 children. Languages: Spoke seven languages, but never learned how to write. Work: 1933 moved to Darjeeling, India, to work as a trekking porter. War Years: Indian army ski instructor. Everest Trips: 1935 — First expedition, accompanying Eric Shipton. 1953 — Reaches summit at age 39. After Everest: Opened mountaineering school in Darjeeling, India, to train other locals as mountaineering guides. Died: May 9, 1986. To learn more about Tenzing Norgay, go to NOVA Online's site about Tenzing: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/nova/everest/history/norgay.html Porter- a person who carries supplies.  Top of Page Everest Home | Photo History | Interview With Hillary | Relive the Trek | Meet Whitney Stewart | Everest Facts | Everest Glossary | Famous Mountains | Tenzing Norgay | Sherpas | Map | Teacher's Guide