Ang Kami – a tribute by Harish Kapadia

At a very young age Ang Kami, born in a Sherpa family, lost his father who died on an expedition in Nepal. Though Kami family had migrated to Darjeeling some time ago, But many went back to work in Nepal. Hence Ang Kami (AK for short) started working as a Sherpa porter from a young age, same story for many great Sherpas. With his education, he had studied till 10th, he was employed at HMI Darjeeling. In 1964 October, IMF organised an expedition to Rathong peak in Sikkim. It was near the HMI base camp. I was doing my Basic Course then and we all shared same base. I was lucky that I could met most famous persons on that time. We were only two civilians at Basic Course and it was a great story of what all happened!

On way back, AK and team had climbed Rathong and we had completed our Basic. There was a joint Camp Fire where a great Swiss climber Andre Raymond, was present. As party dragged into night Lhatoo was singing his now famous gazal and AK suddenly pulled out a colourful Scarf and stated dancing as only he can. Soon Tensing and others joined him and it became a great Sherpa dance with rhythm and songs as they can only do. We all laughed and I talked a lot to AK.

In 1965 AK climbed Everest with the Indian team- and he was youngest person in history to do so. I just exchanged congratulations with him.
Since 1960 regular rock-climbing courses were organised by now defunct Climbers Club. AK, Passang Temba and great Nawang Gombu elected to come every year. They became good friends with all of us naturally. I did the first RC course at Mumbai and in 4 years I went as supervisor on the course. So I was in contact with instructors. I was open and talked all the time to them and on many subjects. They came to my shop to buy cloth and home for food.
In 1968 I organised an expedition to Ikualari peak through University of Bombay and climbed the peak- first of my life. I had Sherpa Pasang Lakhpa with me. This is another full story- of that expedition someday.

At same time Giri Vihar organised a serious expedition to peak Tirsuli West. It was virgin and 23000 ft high. Their trump card was AK who they expected to climb up and take them all with them. The route they had selected was based on photo of 1910 in Arnold Mumm’s book Five Months in the Himalaya. The route was through a wide gully with a huge ice chunk settled at top of it. The route went under tis ice and if it falls all will be dead. Mahesh Desai, of Giri Vihar, leader, gave a logic that same chunk is seen in 1910 and now. It has not broken and will be safe and hence we could climb. To AK’s experienced eyes it looked very dangerous and he said this chunk had no human activity under it till now. With our going if it shifts and falls this year we all will be dead. He refused to climb. There were huge fights and fights about AK throwing away food in anger. All back unhappy with huge curses to AK.