Remembering Pandit Nain Singh Rawat: The First Indian to Measure the Himalayas

New Delhi, October 20 (Daily Kiran) : On October 20, the legacy of Pandit Nain Singh Rawat, the first Indian to measure the Himalayas, is once again in the spotlight. Born on October 21, 1830, in Milam village of Kumaon, now part of Pithoragarh district, Rawat’s remarkable contributions to geography are being commemorated as the Indian government completes his unfinished surveys using satellite technology.

Rawat was not an English officer; he hailed from a humble trading family in the Johar Valley. His father, Amar Singh ‘Lata Budha’, engaged in wool trade with Tibetan merchants, which gave Rawat a deep understanding of the Tibetan language, culture, and routes from an early age.

In 1858, during the British government’s Great Trigonometric Survey of India, Colonel Montgomery in Dehradun sought individuals who could venture into Tibet to create maps. Due to restrictions on British access to Tibet, two brothers, Mani Singh and Nain Singh, were selected for this critical mission.

They received covert training in Dehradun, which included unique methods for measurement and stealth. For instance, they counted every 100 steps using a 33-inch mala, hid survey notes in prayer wheels, concealed thermometers in wooden boxes to measure altitude, and disguised themselves as monks to avoid suspicion.

Between 1865 and 1866, Rawat undertook a significant journey from Kathmandu to Lhasa, covering 1,200 kilometers. During this expedition, he measured over 300 elevation points and calculated latitude and longitude at every mile, relying solely on his steps and a hidden compass—without any modern instruments.

In 1867, he embarked on another major journey from Lhasa to Mansarovar and the Thangla Pass. This expedition resulted in the accurate mapping of Tibet’s largest lakes and the source of the Brahmaputra River. His greatest achievement was proving that the Tsangpo River is indeed the Brahmaputra.

His groundbreaking discoveries garnered the attention of the Royal Geographical Society, which awarded him the Patron’s Medal in 1877, a distinction considered equivalent to the Victoria Cross. They also gifted him a gold watch inscribed with a tribute to his extraordinary discoveries, leading to him being affectionately known as ‘Pandit’.

In recognition of his contributions, the Indian government granted him land rights in his village and an annual pension of 1,000 rupees. The Pandit Nain Singh Surveyor Mountaineering Training Institute was established in Munshiyari in his honor, and in 2004, a postage stamp was issued to commemorate his achievements.

Rawat’s legacy continues to inspire generations, reminding us of the remarkable journey of an ordinary man who made extraordinary contributions to the field of geography.