By Our Staff Reporter
Mussoorie, 4 July: Sir George Everest, the Surveyor General of India, had established his laboratory in Mussoorie and had discovered many high peaks of the country and the world on the map. The world’s highest peak, Mount Everest was also named after him.
In Mussoorie, on Tuesday, a program was organized by the Mussoorie Tourism Department at George Everest House under the leadership of Assistant Tourism Officer Hiralal Arya. Floral tributes were paid to the picture of George Everest.
Historian Gopal Bhardwaj said that from 1832 to 1843 Sir George Everest discovered many high peaks of the world while staying in Mussoorie. The world’s highest peak, Mount Everest was named after him, while earlier it was called Sagarmatha in Nepal, Chomolungma in Tibet.
At the same time, Sir George was also the Surveyor General of India from 1830 to 1843. He was born on 4th July 1790. Sir George Everest House in Mussoorie was beautified by the Department of Tourism in the Park Estate.Historian Gopal Bhardwaj said that the world’s highest peak was named ‘Mount Everest‘ after Sir George Everest. This surveyor and geographer of Wales had told the correct height and location of Everest for the first time. Therefore, on the recommendation of British surveyor Andrew Waugh, this peak was named after him in the year 1865.
Earlier this peak was known as Peak-15. The Tibetan people called it ‘Chomolungmash’ and the Nepalese ‘Sagarmatha’. In the house and laboratory of Sir George Everest in Mussoorie, between the years 1832 and 1843, many high peaks of India were discovered and engraved on the map. George was the Surveyor General of India from 1830 to 1843.
Sir George Everest was born on 4 July 1790 in Crickhowell (United Kingdom) to Peter Everest and Elizabeth Everest. This talented young man trained as a cadet in the Royal Artillery. Looking at his work style and talent, he was sent to India in the year 1806. Here he was entrusted with the responsibility of setting up and operating the telegraph to establish a communication system between Kolkata and Banaras.
Passion towards work and the tendency to do something new opened the doors of progress for them. In the year 1816, George went to survey the island at the behest of Sir Stamford Raffles, the Governor of Java. From here he returned to India in the year 1818 and started working here as the Chief Assistant of Surveyor General Lambton. After working for a few years, George returned to England for a few days, so that after preparing new survey equipment in front of him there, he could bring them to India. Returning to India, he stayed in Calcutta and looked after the factory equipment for the Survey Teams. In the year 1830, George was appointed the Surveyor General of India.
In 1847, George published an account of the measurement of two sections of the meridian arc of India. For this he was awarded a medal by the Royal Astronomical Society. He was later elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Asiatic Society and the Royal Geographical Society. In the year 1854 he got promotion as colonel. In February 1861 he was appointed Commander of the ‘Order of the Bath’. In March 1861 he was made a Schnitt Bachelor. He breathed his last on December 1, 1866, at his home in Hyde Park Garden, London. He is buried in the churchyard of St Andrews near Hove Brighton.
The George Everest House (residential complex) built on 172 acres of Hathipaon Park Road area in Mussoorie and the laboratory (observatory) located about 50 meters away from it, by renovating the Maluswarup, reconstructing the George Everest House by renovating the surrounding area by about 23 acres. It has been developed at a cost of crores of rupees, and a museum has also been constructed regarding the history related to Sir George Everest, which has become a center of attraction for tourists.
