KATHMANDU, APRIL 11

A 48-year-old Nepali woman climber is all set to begin her climbing activities in Mt Everest region early next month aiming to scale the world's highest peak for the tenth time this season.

Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) today bade a farewell to Lhakpa Sherpa, who is attempting the historic 10th successful Mt. Everest ascent.

NMA president Santa Bir Lama bade her farewell offering khada and handed over the NMA flag amid a function organized at NMA secretariat Nagpokhari Naxal, Kathmandu. A 48-year-old Nepali women climber will hoist the NMA flag at the top of the world.

Lakpa is the first and only woman to successfully scale Mt Everest 9th time in the world. No other woman in the world has scaled the peak so many times till date.

She will leave Kathmandu on April 15 for the expedition. ''I want to inspire today's youth and women'', a daring Lhakpawho landed Nepal last Friday from USA for her new adventure said, ''Nepali women are hardworking and can do anything they want.''

Born in Makalu VDC of Sankhuwasabha, she had stood atop the summit of the world's highest mountain for the 1st time in 2000 from the Nepal side. This will be her only second time ascending Mt Everest from the Nepal side.

This time she has other plans too. ''I am following the alpine style of climbing that Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmond Hilary had followed to step at the top of the world for the very first time'', she revealed.

That means she will travel to Solukhumbu headquarters Salleri first then will start trekking towards the basecamp with the help of porters.

NMA president Lama wished her success. ''This is our privilege to have you here. I, personally and on behalf of the NMA family, wish you all the very best for your historic achievement'', he said.

Without having any formal training on mountain climbing, Lhakpa, who grew up with 11 siblings, first climbed Mt Everest from the Nepal side in 2000. 'This will be her second attempt on Mt Everest from the Nepal side,' Mingma Gelu Sherpa, Managing Director at Seven Summit Adventure, said.Lhakpa, also a former Seven-Eleven store worker, had reportedly scaled Mt Everest eight months after the birth of her first daughter and while she was two months pregnant with her second child.

'My daughter is also trekking to Everest base camp this time,' she quipped.

General Secretary Kul Bahadur Gurung, Secretary Tikaram Gurung, Secretariat members Vinaya Shakya, Mr. Dipendra Pandey, Shiva Bahadur Sapkota, board members Mr. Sanjiv Gurung, Sarki Tamang also bade her farewell with the khada.