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CNN Live At Daybreak
50 Years Ago Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay Conquered Everest
Aired May 29, 2003 - 05:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn our attention now to the very top of the world. It was 50 years ago today that Sir Edmund Hillary and his guide, Tenzing Norgay, conquered Mount Everest.
Our Satinder Bindra joins us live by video phone from Katmandu with details on the anniversary celebrations -- good morning.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very good morning to you, Carol.
The atmosphere here is electric. In a very short time, we expect the Nepalese prime minister to honor several climbers who are in town. He'll be giving them some certificates and, of course, everyone waiting, holding their breath to see if Sir Edwin will be given the highest honor this country can. Will he be given honorary Nepalese citizenship?
Now, there's also a lot of climbers in town and all of them are trying to emulate what Sir Edmund and Tensing Norgay achieved 50 years ago. In the past one week, we've had about 140 summiteers. All sorts of records have been smashed. Just this week, there was a journalist who climbed Everest. Shame on me, shame on the others who haven't done it. Then we've had all kinds of other records. We've had the fastest man on Everest. We've had the youngest person on Everest. We've had the oldest person on Everest. And, in fact, today we've had Appa Sherpa (ph), a Nepalese who's climbed Everest for the 13th time. He's back in Katmandu. He's the toast of this town.
But even as all these records are broken, Carol, a lot of concern that Everest, perhaps, has become over commercialized, there's no adventurers there and just tourists. Today, this morning Jamling Norgay, the son of Tenzing Norgay, spoke about the true spirit of adventure with which his father and Sir Edmund first went up to the top of the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMLING NORGAY, SON OF TENZING NORGAY: I think my father, you know, and Hillary, they climbed for humankind. They were going into the unknown. They were explorers and it was the passion that drove them to climb these big mountains. And they basically loved to be amongst the mountains. And I think that was one of the, you know, biggest inspirations they had. And they worked really well together as a team.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BINDRA: Now, celebrations here will conclude today with a tea function. His Majesty, the king, will attend. And tonight there'll be a banquet, which will also be attended by the royal family.
Back to you now.
COSTELLO: All right, thanks so much, Satinder Bindra live from Katmandu.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Everest>
Aired May 29, 2003 - 05:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn our attention now to the very top of the world. It was 50 years ago today that Sir Edmund Hillary and his guide, Tenzing Norgay, conquered Mount Everest.
Our Satinder Bindra joins us live by video phone from Katmandu with details on the anniversary celebrations -- good morning.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very good morning to you, Carol.
The atmosphere here is electric. In a very short time, we expect the Nepalese prime minister to honor several climbers who are in town. He'll be giving them some certificates and, of course, everyone waiting, holding their breath to see if Sir Edwin will be given the highest honor this country can. Will he be given honorary Nepalese citizenship?
Now, there's also a lot of climbers in town and all of them are trying to emulate what Sir Edmund and Tensing Norgay achieved 50 years ago. In the past one week, we've had about 140 summiteers. All sorts of records have been smashed. Just this week, there was a journalist who climbed Everest. Shame on me, shame on the others who haven't done it. Then we've had all kinds of other records. We've had the fastest man on Everest. We've had the youngest person on Everest. We've had the oldest person on Everest. And, in fact, today we've had Appa Sherpa (ph), a Nepalese who's climbed Everest for the 13th time. He's back in Katmandu. He's the toast of this town.
But even as all these records are broken, Carol, a lot of concern that Everest, perhaps, has become over commercialized, there's no adventurers there and just tourists. Today, this morning Jamling Norgay, the son of Tenzing Norgay, spoke about the true spirit of adventure with which his father and Sir Edmund first went up to the top of the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMLING NORGAY, SON OF TENZING NORGAY: I think my father, you know, and Hillary, they climbed for humankind. They were going into the unknown. They were explorers and it was the passion that drove them to climb these big mountains. And they basically loved to be amongst the mountains. And I think that was one of the, you know, biggest inspirations they had. And they worked really well together as a team.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BINDRA: Now, celebrations here will conclude today with a tea function. His Majesty, the king, will attend. And tonight there'll be a banquet, which will also be attended by the royal family.
Back to you now.
COSTELLO: All right, thanks so much, Satinder Bindra live from Katmandu.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Everest>
