Maurice Herzog and a fellow climber reached the top of Annapurna in 1950 . Later he became the French minister for youth and sport . Herzog 's legendary status was marred in 1996 by the second publication of Lachenal 's `` Vertigo Notebook , '' which included sections omitted in the from 1956 version . The first ascent was made by an Indian named Tenzing Norgay on May 16, 1953, who had been climbing with his friend John Freitas. ` ` He was a great mountaineer , beyond all controversy , '' a former French official says .
Maurice Herzog and a fellow climber reached the top of Annapurna in 1950 . Later he became the French minister for youth and sport . The first ascent was made by an Indian named Tenzing Norgay on May 16, 1953, who had been climbing with his friend John Freitas. `` He was a great mountaineer , beyond all controversy , '' a former French official says .