Surrey man becomes first Sikh-Canadian to summit Mount Everest

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsLocal News Surrey man becomes first Sikh-Canadian to summit Mount Everest Ajaypal Singh Dhaliwal, a lawyer, received recognition from city council for his feat Author of the article: By Sobia Moman Published Jul 06, 2026 Last updated 52 minutes ago 2 minute read Join the conversation Ajaypal Singh Dhaliwal from Surrey is the first Sikh-Canadian to scale Mount Everest. PHOTO BY SUBMITTED /City of Surrey Article content A Surrey man elevated to a new level in May when he successfully scaled to the highest point of Mount Everest, becoming the first Sikh-Canadian to do so. Article content Ajaypal Singh Dhaliwal was recognized by Surrey council last Monday for his “remarkable demonstration of determination, resilience, discipline, and courage,” said Mayor Brenda Locke, before presenting him with a certificate of recognition. Article content Article content Article content “It is my great pleasure to recognize Ajay Singh Dhaliwal for the very extraordinary achievement that has inspired our community and certainly brought a lot of pride to the City of Surrey,” she said. Article content Sunrise Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content Once at the summit, Dhaliwal posed in a photo with a City of Surrey flag, delighting the mayor and council. Article content Dhaliwal said bringing the flag made perfect sense for him. Article content “Although I was born and raised in a small village, Kasam Bhatti in Punjab, if there’s one place in the world outside my village that I am most proud to call home, it is Surrey,” Dhaliwal said. Article content He moved to Surrey in 2010, raised a family and established a career in law, Dhaliwal said, adding that the achievement is not just his, but also the city’s. Article content “Every one of you help me in different ways, encouraging me, training with me, believing in me, challenging me, and supporting me mentally, physically, and emotionally throughout the journey. I truly could not have done it without you,” Dhaliwal said. Article content The lawyer received a standing ovation in council chambers. Article content Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth, above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal…