Recollections of high places.

(From The Economic Times)

Byline: Freny Manecksha

: The news that two climbers of Darjeeling's Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) summited Everest last week has jogged many sepiatinted memories here. The HMI is where many first learnt to tie the climbing rope and the emotional knot has not been severed.

Two years ago, former director of HMI, Nawang Gombu, one of the last two surviving Tigers was honoured by the Himalayan Club before a packed auditorium here.

A nephew of Tenzing Norgay, Gombu as a 16-yearold lad cut his Tiger's tooth on Everest accompanying his uncle in 1953. He became the youngest person to carry loads to South Col. …