Nepal's Sherpa association felicitates over 100 veteran mountain climbers

Kathmandu: Nepal's largest umbrella organisation of Sherpas has felicitated over 100 veteran mountain climbers who have scaled Mount Everest at least 10 times in a gala event here.

Nepal honoured record-holding Sherpa guides and climbers on Monday to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

On May 29, 1953, Hillary, a beekeeper from New Zealand and his Sherpa guide Norgay scripted history by becoming the first human beings to scale the treacherous terrains of the world's highest mountain peak.

Sherpa Tourism Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (STEAN), the largest umbrella association of Sherpas in Nepal organised a gala event here on the occasion of the International Everest Day.

Sherpa climbers, who scaled Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world at least ten times, were felicitated at the programme chaired by STEAN chairman Sangam Sherpa.

Among those felicitated include Kami Rita Sherpa, who climbed Mt Everest for a record 28 times and Pasang Dawa Sherpa, who completed this herculean task on 27 occasions.

On the occasion, four Sherpa brothers from the same family, who climbed Mt Everest, three Sherpa sisters, and the father-son-and-daughter trio were also felicitated.

"The Nepal government should recognise the efforts of the brave Sherpas for providing valuable contributions in the field of mountain tourism and boosting Nepal’s image in the international arena by providing them with incentives and financial support," STEAN chairman Sherpa said.

Over 600 have scaled Everest during this spring season, according to Nepal's Department of Tourism.

The climbing season begins in March and ends by the end of May, following which monsoon winds and melting temperatures make it hazardous for climbing.

Nepal has so far opened 414 mountains for climbing. Eight of the 14 mountains higher than 8,000 metres in the world are in Nepal.

In commemoration of the day when Hillary and Norgay climbed Mount Everest, the Nepal government celebrates May 29 every year as Mount Everest Day. Hillary died on January 11, 2008.

Norgay died on May 9, 1986.

Coincidentally, Republic Day and Mount Everest Day fall on the same day in Nepal.