In the unforgiving heights of Mount Everest’s notorious ‘death zone,’ where temperatures plummet below -22°F (-30°C) and oxygen is a fleeting luxury, a Malaysian climber’s brush with death has sparked outrage—not for his near-fatal ordeal, but for his astonishing lack of gratitude toward the hero who saved him.
On May 18, Ravichandran Tharumalingam, a seasoned climber who has summited Everest three times despite losing eight fingers to frostbite in 2022, was found in dire straits. Clinging desperately to a rope, oxygen-deprived and teetering on the edge of death, Ravichandran was ignored by passing climbers in the ‘death zone’—a perilous stretch of the mountain where survival is a race against time. Hope seemed lost until Gelje Sherpa, a skilled mountain guide, and his Chinese client stumbled upon him.
In an extraordinary act of selflessness, Gelje convinced his client to abandon their summit bid to save a stranger’s life. Wrapping Ravichandran in a sleeping mat, Gelje carried the climber on his back for six grueling hours, descending 1,900 feet through extreme altitude to reach the safety of a mountain camp. It was a feat of superhuman strength and compassion, one that gave Ravichandran a second chance at life.
But when the Malaysian climber recovered and took to Malaysian television and social media to share his story, the world expected a heartfelt tribute to his rescuer. Instead, Ravichandran’s gratitude was conspicuously absent. In an Instagram post, he wrote, “I am alive today, because I had the best and dedicated Partners — The 14th Peaks Expedition Co and Global Rescue Ins.” No mention of Gelje Sherpa, the man who carried him to safety. In subsequent posts, Ravichandran promoted t-shirts, announced future climbs, and doubled down on thanking his sponsors—still without a nod to the Sherpa who saved his life.
The omission ignited a firestorm of criticism online. “Hope you’ll be donating all profits to the Sherpa who saved you,” one commenter wrote. “You’re alive thanks to a Sherpa,” another pointed out. Reports—though unconfirmed—suggest Ravichandran may have blocked Gelje on Instagram and deleted critical comments, further fueling the backlash. Gelje himself hinted at the snub in a subtle Instagram post, suggesting he’d been blocked.
Under mounting pressure, Ravichandran finally acknowledged Gelje, but his gesture was lukewarm at best. In a post, he referred to Gelje under the banner of the 14th Peaks Expedition Co.—an organization Gelje doesn’t even work for, as he runs his own AGA Adventures. Gelje, ever gracious, responded, “Thank you, hope you are recovering well.”
The saga has left many questioning the climber’s priorities. In the shadow of Everest’s deadly heights, where human kindness can mean the difference between life and death, Ravichandran’s focus on sponsors over his savior has struck a sour note. As the controversy continues to unfold, the mountaineering community and beyond await a fuller reckoning of gratitude for the hero who carried a man down the mountain—and the climber who seemed to forget.