“He was a colossal figure, a giant among men. His sheer presence used to produce positive vibrations,” said Major H P S Ahluwalia, a member of the first successful Indian expedition to the Everest in 1965.

The leader of that Indian delegation Capt M S Kohli, who had been working closely with Hillary for over two decades now, was equally appreciative of the man who had dedicated his life for the protection of the Himalayan environment and for the upliftment of the Sherpa community of Nepal.

“He was a legend of legends. So magnanimous, always smiling, extremely sincere and gentle. In fact, he was one of the noblest souls to have walked on this Earth. We are going to miss him. India is going to miss him,” Kohli said.

A frequent visitor to India, Hillary had won many hearts by championing a number of social causes in this part of the world. His efforts to improve the lifestyle of the Sherpas — which stemmed from his deep appreciation of the help provided to him by Tenzing Norgay, his partner on that historic expedition, and the rest of the community — stood out.

“In the Solo Khumbu region, the home of the Sherpas, Hillary’s efforts in the last three to four decades has resulted in a major improvement in the quality of life of the local population,” Ahluwalia said.

Hillary was also active in India, campaigning for protecting the pristine environment of the Himalayas and even promoting the cause of Indian tourism.

“He used to speak so glowingly about India at major tourist conferences. He was very fond of India,” said Kohli, adding that the fondness extended to Indian food too. “He loved Indian curry and samosa. When I was in Sydney between 1975-79, he was a regular visitor at our place and relished our food.”

Hillary also served as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India from 1985 to 1989. During that time he joined hands with Kohli to start the Himalayan Environment Trust, an endeavour that he remained associated with till his last day.

A regular on the lecture and conference circuit, he spoke and wrote extensively about the growing pollution in the mountains and was the major fundraiser for the trust.