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When Edmund Hillary came to town
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Sir Edmund Hillary visited Hyderabad in 1988
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Sir Edmund at Krishna Oberoi
I was excited as a cub News Photographer to photograph him so early in my career. But on the warm afternoon of December 6, 1988, I niggardly moved towards his room at Krishna Oberoi (now Taj Krishna) as he welcomed me and my colleague with a ‘
Namaste’ , while we stretched our hand for a handshake.
Pleasantries over, he kicked off the conversation with the placid Hussain Sagar Lake overlooking his room. We were a bit reserved as he was the New Zealand High Commissioner in India. He spoke to us with loud chuckles and was keen to know more from us about the City of Nawabs.
He had an appointment postponed on that day as Chief Minister N.T Rama Rao was out of town and Sir Edmund decided to get a feel of the State’s politics through a few interviews.
“How is your Governor Kumudben Joshi?,” he asked us. It was possible that we had been briefed that the C.M and Governor did not share the best of relationships. (officially)
He asked us whether N.T Rama Rao would be the next P.M. and more queries like what type of Government does he head? Is it a socialist or a populist one?
He was clearly impressed with N.T.R and Rajiv Gandhi. When it was his turn to answer questions, he was most sporting. Especially when it came to answering the most oft asked question to him – “We (Tenzing Norgay and I) reached the summit together. I prefer to say ‘we did it together.’ He( Tenzing) was my guide and I was the leader . To contradict a good friend is not fair because he is not alive to contest my claims.”
On being asked if he was frightened of death from the avalanches, he said it was awfully frightening, “but the urge to survive and the curiosity to know what is beyond the immediate hurdle made us overcome our fright.”
Sir Edmund also spoke of the need for youth to seek out adventure and talk to elders and learn from their experiences.
He was in his ebullient best and chuckling when asked about the moment when they conquered the Everest. “Oh! I didn’t jump in joy. Besides Tenzing , there wasn’t anybody around to impress.”
As we were about to leave the tall and heavily built Sir Edmund said, “You have been photographing me all the time. What about you , do you not want to take a picture with me?”
That was the measure of the legend who is no more amidst us.
P.V. SIVAKUMAR
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