Sir Edmund Hillary

Nepal's Sherpas went into mourning last week at the death of Sir Edmund Hillary and pledged to ensure his legacy lives on in the community he has helped since the first conquest of Everest in 1953."We consider him as a second father," said Zimba Zangbu Sherpa, the vice president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association."We are planning a memorial and thinking about a statue in the mountaineering park," said Sherpa, who attended one of the first schools set up by Hillary in the Solokhumbu region in Everest's foothills.The New Zealander conquered the 8, 848-metre mountain with the aid of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.

He returned the following year to launch community projects in the impoverished region around the base of the world's tallest mountain where Sherpas live.

Hillary's trust built schools and hospitals, and trained health workers in the harsh, mountainous region. He also helped build an airstrip to promote tourism.

"His work changed the life of the whole Sherpa community. Without his work, especially the schools, the Sherpas would be nowhere. I am sure it (his work) will continue," Sherpa said.
In New Zealand, a state funeral is to be held for Hillary, who died last Thursday morning from a heart attack, aged 88.

In a statement, his widow, Lady Hillary, indicated the family thought such a funeral appropriate, "recognising the impact [Sir Edmund] has on all New Zealanders".

She added the family was comforted by messages of support from around the country and the world.

The death of Sir Edmund Hillary has ended one of the most enduring partnerships in sporting history, but one that was also mired in political controversy.

When Hillary stepped on Mount Everest along with Tenzing Norgay May 29, 1953, not only were there worldwide celebrations but also furious speculation over who first set foot on the peak, until then virgin and untouched by human feet.To the credit of the two climbers, they kept the answer to themselves for decades. Citing the question as foolish, they even signed a statement, which said simply: "We reached the summit almost together." Nevertheless, they could not escape their times. India had become independent in 1947 and Britain was struggling with the loss. Cartoons appeared in Nepal of Tenzing hauling a tired Hillary behind him. Equally, in Britain there were questions over Tenzing's role. And while Hillary was knighted immediately, his partner was just felicitated with the George Medal. "The explanation that as an Indian citizen he couldn't be knighted never really held water, as the award could have been honorary," the Daily Telegraph's Beijing correspondent wrote in a blog Friday. In India's post-colonial fervour, children grew up to mention the two climbers almost as a single name, but it was always 'Tenzing-Hillary'. Tenzing became a national hero in India and Nepal, and was seen as a developing country sportsman who was equal to the best in the world.India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru too courted Tenzing, who was persuaded to settle down in the mountain resort of Darjeeling as a director of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. Tenzing finally broke his pact of secrecy years later when he revealed in his autobiography that Hillary reached the peak a few steps ahead of him."So there it is. The answer to the great mystery," he wrote. However, Hillary himself did not admit to it until after the Sherpa's death. In April 1997, unveiling a statue of Tenzing in Darjeeling, Hillary said, "I have never regarded myself as a hero but Tenzing undoubtedly was."

Documentary maker Tom Scott, a longtime friend, arrived at the Hillarys' home following the news of his death.

Scott said he'd been working with Hillary on a documentary about the mountaineer's work in Nepal and the resulting footage would be shown on the night of the funeral.

"We knew when we were making it (the documentary) that was the purpose of it and we were terribly sad," Scott said.

"But at the same time it was a tremendous honour and a privilege to be asked to make it.
"He was an extraordinary man."