H. P. S. Ahluwalia

Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia was born on 6 November 1936 and brought up in Shimla along with his two sisters and two younger brothers. His father was employed as a Civil Engineer in the Indian Central Public Works Department. For his academic career he went to St Joseph's Academy, Dehradun and St. George's College, Mussoorie. There, he discovered his interest in photography and rock climbing. Along with graduation, his interest in rock-climbing increased. Some of the places where Ahluwalia did his rock climbing are Garhwal, Sikkim, Nepal, Ladakh, and of course Mount Everest. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Electrical and Mechanical engineering from the College of Military Engineering, Pune in 1964. ==Military career==

After his graduation Ahluwalia joined the Indian Army as an officer, receiving a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army Electrical-Mechanical Engineering branch on 14 December 1958. He was promoted to lieutenant on 14 December 1960 and to captain on 14 December 1964. Seeing action during the 1965 war with Pakistan, he was wounded by a bullet in his spine, after which he used a wheelchair. He received an early discharge from the Army on 8 January 1968, with the honorary rank of major. ==Expeditions ==

After treatment at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England, he organised the first Ski Expedition to Mount Trisul, the first Trans-Himalaya Motor Expedition (1983), and the Central Asia Cultural Expedition (1994). == Indian Spinal Injuries Centre ==

To treat spinal injuries, Ahluwalia, with the support of his friends, set up the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India in 1993. He also served as an IOFS officer. ==Personal life and death==

Ahluwalia died in Delhi on 14 January 2022, at the age of 85. ==Bibliography==

Medal bar National Awards • Arjuna Award-1965 • Padma Shri-1965 • Padma Bhushan-2002 • Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award for lifetime achievement-29 August 2009 • National Award for the Welfare of People with Disabilities-3 December 1998 • Order of the Khalsa (Nishan-e- Khalsa) Tercentenary of the Birth of Khalsa International Awards • FRGS – Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (United Kingdom) • Fellowship conferred for significant contribution to studies and literature written on Environment and Adventure • CONDOR-DE-ORO – A high Argentinian honour given for overall contribution to adventure writing / participation in Adventure Sports. • Advisor/Consultant to the Argentina Everest Expedition • World Health Initiative for Peace Award, 29 July 2014 ==Gallery==

File:Maj Ahluwalia with Dr Abdul Kalam copy.jpg|Ahluwalia with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam File:Zail singh1.jpg|Ahluwalia with Zail Singh File:With Rajiv Gandhi and H C Sareen inaugurating ISIC.jpg|Ahluwalia with former Prime Minister of India - Rajiv Gandhi File:Major Ahluwalia with Shri Atal Bihari Vajpai 001.jpg|Ahluwalia with former Prime Minister of India - Atal Bihari Vajpayee File:With PM Manmohan Singh.jpg|Ahluwalia with former Prime Minister of India - Manmohan Singh. File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi meets the members of 1965 Everest Expedition on the golden jubilee of the occasion, in New Delhi on May 20, 2015.jpg|Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi meets the members of Indian Everest Expedition 1965 on the occasion of Golden Jubilee of this on 20 May 2015 File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi meets the members of 1965 Everest Expedition on the golden jubilee of the occasion, in New Delhi on May 20, 2015 (2).jpg|Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi meets the members of Indian Everest Expedition 1965 on the occasion of Golden Jubilee of this on 20 May 2015 File:Everest Expedition 1965 stamp of India.jpg|1965 Indian stamp dedicated to the 1965 Everest Expedition ==See also==