sirdar
South Asian chief
Sirdar is a title of authority used in South Asia and the Middle East, typically designating a military commander, chief, or person of high rank.
In British colonial India, it referred specifically to the commander-in-chief of the Egyptian army or a leader of Sikh communities.
The term also appears in mountaineering contexts, where the sirdar is the head Sherpa who organizes and leads the local support team on Himalayan expeditions.
The expedition's sirdar coordinated all the porters and supplies for the climb.
Leader of a tribe
- headmanLeader of a community
- chiefTop-ranking leader
- village headLeader of small community
- tribal leaderHead of indigenous group
patriarch · elder · authority · governance · overseer · commander · captain · foreman
Navigator through difficulty
- basecampExpedition's operational center
- HimalayasAsia's highest range
- EverestTallest peak on Earth
- mountaineeringSport of climbing peaks
climbing · summit · altitude · trekking · porter · guide · acclimatization · glacier
Colonel-led military unit
- infantryGround combat troops
- battalionMid-sized military unit
- cavalryMounted military force
- brigadeLarge military unit
sepoy · commanding · troops · rank · colonial · platoon · squadron · division
Formal honorific or name
- respectRegard with honor
- dignityInnate personal worth
- sahibIndian honorific for men
- nobilityTitled ruling class
esteem · veneration · deference · salutation · formality · courtesy · recognition · appellation
chieftain
Leader of a tribe
- headmanLeader of a community
- chiefTop-ranking leader
- village headLeader of small community
tribal leader · patriarch · elder · authority · governance · overseer · commander · captain · foreman · boss
sherpa
Navigator through difficulty
mountaineering · climbing · summit · altitude · trekking · porter · guide · acclimatization · glacier · crevasse
regiment
Colonel-led military unit
brigade · sepoy · commanding · troops · rank · colonial · platoon · squadron · division · garrison
title
Formal honorific or name
nobility · esteem · veneration · deference · salutation · formality · courtesy · recognition · appellation · address