What’s your idea of a cool birthday celebration? A party with friends, lots of gifts and a yummy cake? How about setting a new world record? That’s exactly what Temba Tsheri Sherpa did when he turned sixteen! In May 2001, he became the youngest person to climb the Mt. Everest, shortly after celebrating his birthday on the mountain. Cool, eh?

But it wasn’t an easy feat. Do you know that every year several folks try to scale the peak, but give up mid-way? Many have even lost their lives. Even Temba failed the first time round. That was just a year before, in 2000. Bad weather forced him to return only 22 meters from the top. It was so cold his fingers froze. Try holding some ice in your hands. Notice how numb your fingers get? Well, Temba’s fingers were ten times so frozen that doctors had to remove five of them.

Did you think that it scared Temba? No way! He’s made of stronger stuff, much like Superman. Or maybe, being a Sherpa gives him the superhuman spirit. He simply looked the mountain in the eye and went for it the next year itself. After all,it was a dream Temba had held since he was a kid.

As a young child he often saw his parents and brother go climbing the Himalayas. His curiosity for the mountains became his dream. Now, that’s some dream and some solid determination, don’t you think?

Temba is just like you and me. He grew up in a small village in Nepal. He inherited his love for mountains from his parents. On reaching the summit, it was his family he shared his happiness with.Very much like you do when you win something, don’t you?

At the top, Temba didn’t just see the lovely blue sky above. Or the snow covered peaks below being kissed by fluffs of clouds. He saw his dream come true!

Do you have a dream too? Go on, achieve it and don’t give up until you do! In Temba’s own words “Do whatever you love to do.”

Did you know?
– Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first people to climb the Mt. Everest in 1953.
– Everest maybe the highest place on earth at 8848 meters. But if you compare the actual height, it’s shorter than the island mountain Kea. Kea measures 10,203 meters from the ocean floor!
– The Himalayan range was once under the ocean. That’s why many fish fossils can be found there.