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One of the greatest adventurers: Pratibha

Special Correspondent

Sensitive to needs of Himalayan region

NEW DELHI: President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have condoled Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary, who died of heart attack in New Zealand on Friday at the age of 88.

In her message, Ms. Patil recalled the way Sir Hillary raised funds to set up hospitals and clinics in the Himalayan region and the manner in which he worked for keeping the region clean.

“Apart from being a keen mountaineer, he was sensitive to the needs of the people of the Himalayan region by devoting his time and energy to their welfare. A humble person, he helped fund the building of hospitals and health clinics for the sherpas. He was also a conservationist, who was acutely aware of the need to keep the environment around the Himalayan region clean. The world has lost one of the 20th century’s greatest adventurers.”

Exemplary life: PM

In his message, Dr. Singh said: “He [Sir Hillary] lived an exemplary life of seeking to attain the seemingly unattainable and drawing our attention to the grandeur of Mother Earth. Sir Edmund Hillary dedicated his life to the preservation of our Himalayan heritage and inspired several generations of mountaineers world-wide.”

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