born May 15, 1914, Tshechu, Tibet [now Tibet Autonomous Region, China]
died May 9, 1986, Darjeeling [now Darjiling], India
Tibetan Sherpa mountaineer.
Tenzing served on numerous expeditions before joining Edmund Hillary as sirdar, or organizer of porters. In 1953 he and Hillary became the first two people to reach the summit of Mount Everest . A devout Buddhist, Tenzing left an offering of food at Everest's summit.