Phu Dorjee

{{Hatnote|Not to be confused with Phu Dorjee Sherpa (1928–1969), the first Nepali mountaineer who climbed Mount Everest.}}

Phu Dorjee ({{birth based on age as of date|35|1984|5|5|noage=1|slash=y}}–1987) (also spelled Phu Dorji),{{Cite web| url=https://www.everesthistory.com/climbers/phudorji.htm|title= Phu Dorjee|website= www.everesthistory.com}} born in Sikkim, was a Sherpa and the first Indian to make a solo ascent of Mount Everest.{{ cite journal | url = https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198526101/Asia-Nepal-Everest| journal = American Alpine Journal | title = Asia, Nepal, Everest | date =1985 | first = D.K. | last = Khullar | issn= 0065-6925 | isbn= 0930410246 | volume =#27 | issue = 59 | access-date =5 February 2025 }}

Everest

His solo ascent of Everest was made on 5 May 1984 as a member of an Indian expedition led by Darshan Kumar Khullar. He climbed the peak by the South East Ridge{{cite web | url = https://mounteverest.info/who-was-the-first-indian-man-to-climb-mount-everest/ | access-date =5 February 2025 | title= Who Was the First Indian Man to Climb Mount Everest? | date = 29 January 2022 | first = Graham | last = Hoyland }} and was the first Indian ever to reach the summit without using any supplemental oxygen.{{Cite web|url= https://www.indianbookofrecords.com/first-man-to-climb-mount-everest-without-oxygen.html|title= The first Indian man to climb Mount Everest without oxygen-Phu Dorjee|website= www.indianbookofrecords.com|access-date= 27 August 2019|archive-date= 27 August 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190827094449/https://www.indianbookofrecords.com/first-man-to-climb-mount-everest-without-oxygen.html|url-status= dead}}

Early Years

He was part of a joint Indian-British expedition to then unclimbed Brammah 1, {{convert|6416|m|ft|abbr=on}}, in the Kishtwar Himalaya in 1973.{{rp|page=106|style=ama}} The British contingent included Chris Bonington and Nick Estcourt, they started a summit attempt with two Indian climbers but that was unsuccessful. Dorjee and Balwant Sandhu then joined Bonington and Estcourt on a summit attempt but they stepped back because supplies were limited. Ultimately Bonington and Estcourt managed to make the first ascent but they were not accompanied by any of the Indian climbers.{{ cite journal | url =https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/33/24/the-first-ascent-of-brammah-1973/ | journal = Himalayan Journal | title = The First Ascent of Brammah, 1973 | date =1975| first = Chris | last = Bonington| volume =#33 | access-date =5 February 2025 }}

Dorjee was a member of an expedition to Siniolchu {{convert|6888|m|ft|abbr=on}} in 1979, about 20 climbers ascended the mountain by the northwest ridge, he was one of the six climbers in the first successful summit party.{{ cite journal | url =https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/37/13/siniolchu/| journal = Himalayan Journal | title = Siniolchu: The most beautiful Mountain | date =1981| first = Sonam| last = Wangyal | volume =#37 | access-date =5 February 2025 }}

In 1982 he was appointed as the lead instructor at the Sonam Gyatso Mountaineering Institute. Two years later Sonam Wangyal, the principal of the Institute, nominated Dorjee for the 1984 expedition to Everest sponsored by the IMF.

In 1985 he was one of the Indian members of a joint Indian-Japanese expedition to Saser Kangri.{{rp|page=162|style=ama}} Dorjee was one of the four members of the party who successfully made the first ascent of the west peak of Saser Kangri II, {{convert|7500|m|ft|abbr=on}}, following a route from the north.{{ cite journal | url =https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/67/13/the-first-ascent-of-saser-kangri-ii/| journal = Himalayan Journal | title = The First Ascent of Saser Kangri II: And other Peaks of the Eastern Karakoram | date =2011| first = Mark | last = Richey | volume =#67 | access-date =5 February 2025 }}

Then in October 1986 he visited Chomo Yummo {{convert|6829|m|ft|abbr=on}} with an expedition led by Maj Gen P. L. Kukrety for selecting the team to go to Kangchenjunga the following year. Dorjee and four others reached the summit.{{ cite journal | url =https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/44/27/expeditions-and-notes-44/#point1| journal = Himalayan Journal | title = A Homage To Sacred Peak Chomo Yummo | date =1988 | first = P. L. | last = Kukrety| volume =#44| access-date =5 February 2025 }}

Death

Dorjee died in May 1987 on Kangchanjunga.{{Cite web| url=https://www.thecolorsofindia.com/interesting-facts/adventure/first-man-to-climb-everest-without-oxygen.html|title= The first Indian man to climb Mount Everest without oxygen-Phu Dorjee|website= www.thecolorsofindia.com}} He had been selected as the lead climber for the Assam Rifles expedition led by Maj Gen P. L. Kukrety{{ cite journal | url = https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/48/3/indo-japanese-kangchenjunga-expedition-1991/| journal = Himalayan Journal | title = Indo-Japanese Kangchenjunga Expedition-1991 | date =1992 | first = Yoshio| last = Ogata | volume =#48| access-date =5 February 2025 }} and led the first three-member team who set out for the summit, via the northeast spur, on 24 May.{{rp|page=171|style=ama}} They were all climbing without supplemental oxygen and all three were lost without trace on the upper slopes of the mountain. On 31 May some Buddhist prayer flags, which Dorjee's group had been carrying, were found about 25 feet below the summit by the expedition's second party. It was concluded that Dorjee and his two compatriots, Choten Tsering and Fupu Bhutia, had reached the top and then been swept off the mountain during their descent.{{cite book | title = Mountaineering in India | date=1969| first =M.S.| last = Kohli | isbn= 9780706933970 |publisher =Vikas Publishing House | access-date = 6 February 2025 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=l_wyAAAAIAAJ }}{{rp|page=171|style=ama}}

Dorjee was 35 years old when he ascended Everest in 1984.

Awards

He received the Padma Shri in 1984 after his solo ascent of Everest without supplemental oxygen.

In 1989 he was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra for his accomplishment.

{{cite news | url= https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/how-can-i-forget-phu-dorje-85880/| access-date = 6 February 2025 | work = The Tribune | title= How can I forget Phu Dorje | first = Nehchal | last = Sandhu | date = 16 January 2025}}

Phu Dorjee

Everest

Early Years

Death

Awards

References

See also