The Tiger Badge was awarded to experienced climbing porters by the Himalayan Club so that "the better Sherpas should be in some way distinguished and rewarded by higher rates of pay".
[5] The initial proposal for a Tiger badge was to "create a superior grade for experienced climbing porters"[6] who would receive a higher rate of pay for their work on subsequent expeditions.
However that proposal was refined so that they would receive "8 annas (50 paise or half a rupee) a day extra pay beyond the rate paid to others, for work above the snow-line",[1] the snow-line stipulation being added to recognise the application of their expertise in those areas without compromising their chance of employment on more ordinary treks where their climbing skill and experience was less relevant.
The term 'tiger' was adopted during the course of the 1924 British Mount Everest expedition for "the picked fifteen porters on whom now all our hopes centred".
The Garud Medal is for individuals who have "excelled over the years in serving / working for expeditions, performed an exemplary act of help, support or rescue to a party in the mountains".