Edmund Hillary was one of the first two people confirmed to reach Mount Everest’s summit in 1953.
Hillary and the Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay reached the summit on 29 May 1953. They were members of the ninth British expedition to attempt the mountain, led by John Hunt. The successful climb was announced publicly on the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
The pair climbed via the South Col route, using supplemental oxygen. Hillary later said that they reached the top together, and both men received worldwide recognition. Hillary was knighted in Britain later in 1953.
Everest had been attempted many times before, including the 1924 expedition during which George Mallory and Andrew Irvine disappeared high on the mountain. Hillary continued supporting Himalayan communities through the Himalayan Trust, which helped build schools and hospitals in Nepal.