By Rishi Singh
Advocate Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal of Surrey has successfully scaled Mount Everest on 20 May 2026, joining the distinguished fellowship of Sikh Everest summiteers whose courage, perseverance, and spirit continue to inspire generations across the world.
Originally hailing from the modest village of Kassam Bhatti, Tehsil Jaitu, District Faridkot, Punjab, Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal’s journey from rural Punjab to the summit of the world’s highest mountain is not merely an athletic accomplishment, but a deeply human story of faith, discipline, resilience, and survival against extraordinary odds.
Known for his humility and quiet resolve, Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal now takes his place alongside revered Sikh mountaineers including H. P. S. Ahluwalia, who summited Everest in 1965; Avtar Singh Cheema first Indian & 16th in World to Summit, Malkeet Singh from Newzeland climbed in 2024., Fateh Singh Brar who reached the summit at the age of sixteen on 21 May 2013; Guribadat Singh Somal, who summited at seventeen on the same date; and Harpreet Singh Cheema and Navneet Kaur Cheema, who successfully summited in May 2024.
Yet this is not solely a story about standing atop Everest. It is, more profoundly, a story about returning home alive.
During the perilous descent through Everest’s notorious “Death Zone” where oxygen thins, judgement weakens, and the mountain slowly overwhelms the human body Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal found himself isolated, exhausted, and perilously close to death. Separated from assistance and left with rapidly diminishing oxygen, he faced the harshest realities that the mountain can impose upon even the strongest climbers.
Tragically, members of the same expedition group, Sandeep Are and Arun Tewari, lost their lives during the descent — a solemn reminder that Everest grants no guarantees, and that every successful return is itself a blessing.
Battling freezing winds, fatigue beyond imagination, and failing oxygen supplies, Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal drew strength not from panic, but from faith and inner resolve. In that desperate moment, he paused to perform Ardaas and repeated the timeless words of Guru Gobind Singh:
“Nischay Kar Apnee Jeet Karon”
(With determination, I shall achieve victory.)
Those words became his anchor in the darkness.
As conditions worsened, he improvised dangerous methods to descend icy slopes, at times using his safety harness to slide himself down treacherous sections of the mountain where ordinary descent had become impossible.
Then came catastrophe. During one such descent, he suffered a violent crash and lost consciousness high within the Death Zone.
For many, that would have been the final chapter. Yet, against all odds, Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal regained consciousness in bitter cold and near-total darkness. Weak, disoriented, and fighting for every breath, he reached for his headlamp and repeatedly flickered its light into the night a silent plea that he was still alive.
Providentially, the signal was seen. Four climbers reached him, among them Mingma Tenzi Sherpa, whose courage, humanity, and compassion became the lifeline that carried Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal back from the brink. Sharing oxygen and refusing to abandon him, Mingma and the team embodied the extraordinary selflessness for which the Sherpa community is revered throughout the mountaineering world.
Too weak to stand, Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal held onto Mingma’s hand and pleaded only for a few moments to gather enough strength to rise once more. Step by step. Breath by breath. He walked back from the shadow of death.
Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal has expressed profound gratitude towards the Sherpas, whose unmatched endurance, skill, and sacrifice make Himalayan expeditions possible. He has also spoken with deep affection of the warmth and kindness shown by the people of Nepal, whose generosity leaves an indelible mark upon all who journey through the Himalayas.
This remarkable achievement stands as a proud moment not only for the Sikh community and Canadians alike, but for all those who believe in the enduring strength of faith, courage, humility, and the unconquerable human spirit.
Some climb mountains. A rare few return having conquered fear itself.
