KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 25

Everest Summiteers Association today elected a new executive committee under the leadership of renowned woman mountaineer Maya Sherpa.

The third annual general meeting of the association unanimously re-elected Sherpa as its president for the tenure of two years. Likewise, Diwas Pokhrel, Lakpa Rangdu Sherpa, Shiva Bahadur Sapkota, Madan Kumar Chudal and Diki Sherpa have been elected as first vice president, second vice president, general secretary, secretary and treasurer respectively.

The other executive board members elected by the AGM include record-holding climber Mingma David Sherpa and Sonam Sherpa.

After the election, President Sherpa said that ESA was launching several education and awareness campaigns on environmental issues throughout the Khumbu and the Himalayas, not just aimed at mountaineers, but at the tourism industry in general. 'ESA is also lobbying with the government to establish a regulated and certified training programme for guides, climbing Sherpas and porters,' she added.

Likewise, General Secretary Sapkota said that ESA was committed to support climbing communities in the coming days. According to him, the Association is also dedicated to helping people who are dependent on climbing to earn a living, not just them but their families as well.

Over the years many climbers, expedition staffers and porters have lost their lives while climbing. ESA has provided help and compensation to the climbers' families and also acted as representative for the families with local government, expedition agencies, and foreign agencies to make sure that rightful compensation is awarded, Sapkota shared.

Nepal Mountaineering Association secretary Tika Ram Gurung, who was also present at the AGM congratulated the new ESA leadership. Three more members will be nominated by the first meeting of the committee, according to Sapkota.