Gurdial Singh

Gurdial Singh (born 1 January 1924) is an eminent Indian mountaineer, who is credited with leading India’s first mountaineering expedition to Trisul (7120 m) in 1951and he is famous for performing a head-stand on summit of the peak. 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. he first headmaster of Doon Arthur Foot was a member of the Alpine Club. Together, they scaled many peaks including Bandarpunch, Trisul, Kamet, Abi Gamin and Nanda Devi. In 1967, Singh was awarded Padma Shri, 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 to Indian mountaineering.