KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 23

Honouring the bravery of world mountaineers, the government decided to provide a national identity card along with badge to Everest summiteers.

Responding to a request from Everest Summiteers Association, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation approved a procedure for honouring all climbers who successfully scaled Mt Everest with a national ID card and a badge, according to the Department of Tourism.

'This is the first time the government has decided to recognise all Everest summiteers,' Shiva Bahadur Sapkota, general secretary of the ESA as well as a member of the procedure drafting committee, said.

As per the procedure, all Everest summiteers shall apply to the Department of Tourism with substantial proof of their Everest summit to get a government badge and ID card. 'This will be a national honour to Everest summiteers, but such honours shall not be used for any other purpose,' Bigyan Koirala, officer at DoT, said.

Along with the application, the summiteers, both Nepali and foreigners, should submit summit certificates provided by the DoT and a recommendation letter from the expedition agency to the DoT for the national honour, the procedure read, adding that DoT has the right to revoke the honour if misused.

'The DoT can also set other conditions if necessary while scrutinising the applications of Everest summiteers.'

Legendary climber Kami Rita Sherpa, who has scaled Mt Everest for a record 26th time, lauded the government's move. 'The climbing community is happy with the government decision and it will certainly be a great recognition for Everest summiteers,' Sherpa told THT. Along with such honours, the government should also act to ensure social security of the summiteers and mountaineers, Sherpa added.

Finally, ESA has convinced the government to honour Everest summiteers with national recognition, ESA's president Maya Sherpa said. 'It will certainly encourage summiteers and help promote adventure tourism in the world,' she added.

Record holding climber Mingma Sherpa, who runs the country's top adventure agency - Seven Summit Treks - also thanked the government for honouring Everest summiteers. 'We feel proud to be Everest summiteers with a national ID card and a badge,' Sherpa said, adding that alongside there was a need to encourage expedition operators to bring more mountaineers to the country.

According to the DoT, till date, more than 6,000 people successfully scaled Mt Everest from the Nepal side after the first historic summit by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953.

A version of this article appears in the print on October 24, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.