The demand for the formation of a separate state "Gorkhaland" in Mechipari Darjeeling continues to be raised and raised again. However, a special demand from the same area has been continuous since 2012. The demand is to give 'Bharat Ratna' to the first Everest climber Tenzing Norge Sherpa!

'Bharat Ratna' is an honor given annually to the highest citizen of India since 1954. Initially, this award was given only to those who have made special contributions in art, literature, science and public service . But in 2011, the Government of India decided to expand its scope to cover 'any field of human endeavour'. After that, the campaign to get Tenzing Norgay the Bharat Ratna. 

Tenzing Norge and Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand took the first human step on the world's highest peak Mount Everest on May 29, 1953. This day of historic victory has entered the 72nd year today .

The demand to give India's highest civilian honor 'Bharat Ratna' has surfaced again like every year in commemoration of Norgay's first climb of Mount Everest. But the demand that arises every year seems to be increasing with time. 

This time, North Bengal mountaineers and representatives of clubs involved in adventure activities have once again put forward the demand to give 'Bharat Ratna' to Norgay . Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation, the leading organization in India's adventure sports and mountaineering sector, has been formally presenting this demand every year. Animesh Bose, coordinator of the

organization, said that this year too, the demand has been submitted through a formal letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Darjeeling Lok Sabha MP Raju Bishta. They say that Norge's contribution is not only for Nepal and India, but unique in the history of world mountaineering, and that is why Norge deserves the honor. "He (Tenzing Norge) truly deserves the Bharat Ratna," Bose said, "I want to ask the government why the Bharat Ratna has been delayed."

Sir Edmund Hillary, who climbed Mount Everest with him, has received special medals such as 'Knighthood' and 'Order of New Zealand'. The government of Nepal has awarded Norge with the 'Nepal Star'. The Government of India has also awarded him the 'Padma Bhushan' award. However, Bose's claim that he is still entitled to the highest honor like 'Bharat Ratna' is true.

Darjeeling Lok Sabha MP Raju Bishta, elected from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), raised the issue of Bharat Ratna in the Indian Parliament on March 12, 2020, and demanded that Norge be given this highest civilian honor. Bista is the person who raised this issue for the first time in the Parliament, but the central government has not been serious about it yet.

Bista has won for the second time in the recently concluded general election and has been re-elected as MP. He has said that this time also he will raise the demand of giving Bharat Ratna to Norgay in the Parliament. Talking to the media, Bista has promised to make this issue a priority again. 

Mayor of Siliguri Municipality and Trinamool Congress leader Gautam Dev has alleged that the central government has been ignoring this demand for a long time. We have been raising this demand since 2012. Many leaders, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have raised this matter before the central government, but the government has not heard it," said Dev. "It seems wrong in the intention of the central government not to give Bharat Ratna to Tenzing Norge." There is also a full-sized statue of him at the Darjeeling Mode and at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling.

Norge's impact has been seen internationally. In 1999, Time magazine from America included him as one of the most influential people in the world, and in 2000, Life magazine named him one of the top 10 sportsmen in the world.

Not only that, NASA also gave him a special honor by naming a mountain on Pluto as 'Tenzing Montes'. In 2003, on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Norge's summit success, the Government of India changed the name of the highest adventure sports award to 'Tenzing Norge National Adventure Award'.

What is Bharat Ratna?

'Bharat Ratna' is the highest civilian honor of republican India . This honor was established on January 2, 1954 . This honor is awarded for outstanding service or contribution to the highest level of performance . In which no distinction is made of caste, occupation, rank or gender. 

Initially, this honor was given only to those who made significant contributions in art, literature, science and public service . However, in December 2011, the Government of India expanded the scope of this award as 'any field of human endeavour'.

The Prime Minister recommends this award to the President. A certificate (Sanad) signed by the President and a Peepal leaf-shaped medal are presented as honours. A recipient of the Bharat Ratna ranks seventh in India's official order of precedence.

So far 53 people have received this honor. 18 of whom have been honored posthumously. Initially, there was no posthumous honor system, but in January 1966, the system was changed to give posthumous honor to the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

In 2014, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar received the Bharat Ratna. He is the only and youngest player to receive this highest honor. Although this honor is generally given to citizens born in India, it has seen some exceptions.

was also awarded to foreign national Mother Teresa, Pakistani national Abdul Ghaffar Khan and South African national Nelson Mandela.

to Norge  Why doesn't India agree?

Tenzing Norge Sherpa, born in Solukhumbu in 1914, climbed Mount Everest as a Nepali citizen. Only then did India grant him citizenship. After climbing Mt. Everest  He was granted Indian citizenship on the initiative of the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Due to this citizenship dispute, he only received the "George Medal" during Queen Elizabeth's coronation in Britain. However, he was deprived of the most prestigious 'KBE' award in Britain. While Hillary and climbing party leader John Hunt received this honor. This award is given to outstanding contributors in the fields of art, science, public service, human service and national welfare.

Norge received many medals from Britain, Iran, Nepal, the then Soviet Union, France and Italy. India has awarded Padma Bhushan in 1959 and Padma Vibhushan posthumously in 2008 .

him  The demand to give 'Bharat Ratna' has been raised in a complicated manner recently. Why the Indian government hesitated to give him the highest honor? There is no solid reason. However, it can be assumed that issues such as duality of citizenship and conflicting identities have become a hot topic. 
The question of whether Raithane considers him an Indian citizen or not may have created confusion. "That's why awarding him the highest honor may be under consideration," Indian mountaineer Bhaskar Das said, "However, we continue to demand that he be awarded the Bharat Ratna."