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The
world renowned, Royal Geographical Society which represents the best of
Geography and geographers was founded in 1830 for the advancement of
geographical science and has been among the most active of the learned societies
ever since. The largest geographical society in Europe, and one of the largest
in the world. The Patron’s Medal and the Founder’s Medals are the highest
awards of the society bestowed on those with an exceptional contribution to
exploration and geography. For
the year 2003, Her Majesty The Queen has approved the award to
Harish Kapadia of the Patron’s Medal of this Society for ‘contributions
to geographical discovery and mountaineering in the Himalayas’.
The award will be presented on the 2nd
June 2003, on the exact day of the 50th anniverssary
of the Coronation of Her Majesty The Queen and coinciding with
the year of the 50th Anniversary of the 1st Ascent of Everest. The
medal has an illustrious history. The
medal originated as an annual gift of fifty guineas from King William IV, first
made in 1831, 'to constitute a premium for the encouragement and promotion of
geographical science and discovery'. In 1839 the Society decided that 'this sum
should be converted into two gold medals of equal value, to be designated the
Founder’s Medal and the Patron’s'. Both are approved by Her Majesty The
Queen. The previous winners of the medals have been Rev. David Livingston, the
enterprising missionary: "for
his journey to the great lake of Ngami". (1850);
Lieutenant F. E. Younghusband: "for
his journey from Machuria and Pekin to Kashmir, and especially for his
route-surveys and topographical notes". (1890).
Harish Kapadia is the first Asian and Indian to receive this Award in past
125 years. (other mountaineering and Himalayan explorers who
have awarded the medal) Harish Kapadia has dedicated this Award to his son Lt. Nawang Kapadia a Gorkha officer of the 4th battalion of the 3rd Gorkha Rifles of the Indian army, who made the supreme sacrifice while defending Indian areas from terrorists in Kashmir. Harish said “He shared my passion for trekking, love for the nature and gave his life defending the Himalaya”. (Lt. Nawang Kapadia's web-memorial) He
was elected the Honorary Member of the Alpine Club. London He was a Vice
President of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (1997-1999).He was awarded the
IMF Gold Medal by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation in 1993. Harish was
invited to many countries to lecture on his Himalayan exploits, and is a member
of several organisations. After
the death of his son, Harish has also been working to promote awareness about
the Kashmir problem and role of the Indian Army. He is specially working towards
proposing an environmental clean-up and a “Peace Park” for the Siachen
Glacier where a high altitude war
is raging for past 18 years and has lectured at many forums to promote this
concept.
Mountaineering and Himalayan Explorers who have received the Award The gold Medals are awarded since last 171 years (since 1832). Following have received these medals over the years from amongst mountaineering and Himalayan explorers. Dr Thomas Thomson (1866), Robert Shaw (1872), Ney Elias (1873), Pundit Nain Singh(1877), Sir Joseph Hooker (1883), Sir F. E. Younghusband (1890), Edward Whymper (1892), Dr Sven Hedin (1898), HRH Dukeof the Abruzzi (1901), Douglas Freshfield (1903), Sir Martin Conway (1905), Col. H H Godwin-Austen (1910), Dr Filippo de Filippi (1915), Capt. F. M. Bailey (1916), Col. C. K. Howard-Bury (1922), Brig-Gen C. G. Bruce (1925), Col. E. F. Norton (1926), Major Kenneth Mason (1927),Dr Tom Longstaff (1926), F. Kingdon-Ward (1930), HRH the Duke of Spoleto (1932), Hugh Ruttledge (1934), Eric Shipton (1938), H. W. Tilman (1952), Lord John Hunt (1954), Sir Charles Evans (1956), Prof. Ardito Desio (1957), Sir Edmund Hillary (1958), Sir Chris Bonington (1974), Michael Ward (1982), Doug Scott (1999), Reinhold Messner (2001). |
