Brampton: Ajaypal Singh Dhaliwal, a Brampton-based Canadian of Punjabi heritage, has etched his name into mountaineering history by becoming the first Canadian Punjabi to successfully climb Mount Everest. But what began as a triumphant achievement soon turned into a desperate struggle for survival high above the Himalayas.
Dhaliwal reached the summit of the 8,848.86-metre peak on May 20 during one of the busiest summit days ever recorded on Everest’s Nepal route. According to Nepal’s Expedition Operators’ Association, a record 274 climbers scaled the mountain that day, aided by a brief spell of favourable weather.
Among the climbers who summited were fellow Indians Tulasi Reddi Palpunoori and Sandeep Are. However, the return journey proved fatal for some members of the expedition.
During the descent through Everest’s notorious “Death Zone” — the region above 8,000 metres where oxygen levels are dangerously low — Dhaliwal reportedly faced severe difficulties after his oxygen supply ran critically low. A social media post shared by his friend Mohan Pal Randhawa claimed the climber had been left behind during the descent when his Sherpa guide moved ahead.
The same expedition witnessed tragedy as climbers Sandeep Are and Arun Kumar Tiwari lost their lives while descending from the summit.
Battling exhaustion, freezing winds and fading oxygen, Dhaliwal allegedly improvised his way down steep icy terrain using his safety harness to slide across dangerous sections. During one attempt, he crashed and briefly lost consciousness in the extreme cold.
When he regained awareness in darkness, Dhaliwal managed to attract attention by flashing his headlamp. A rescue effort led by Mingma Tenzi Sherpa and three other climbers spotted the signal, shared emergency oxygen and helped him continue the descent toward safety.
Randhawa later described the climber’s ordeal as more than just a physical test.
“Reaching Everest is a dream for many, but surviving the descent under those conditions is what truly defines his courage,” he wrote in a Facebook post that has since circulated widely among Punjabi and Canadian communities.
Dhaliwal’s story has resonated strongly across the diaspora, not only because of the historic summit but also because of the determination he showed in surviving one of the world’s harshest environments. His journey from adventure enthusiast to Everest climber is now being celebrated as a symbol of resilience, discipline and endurance.
