KATHMANDU, MAY 30

The International Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) Day was celebrated in Nepal's capital Kathmandu on May 29 by honouring Everest summiteers.

Nepal Mountaineering Association co-hosted the Mount Everest Day with the support from the Ministry for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and other tourism-related umbrella organisations to acknowledge the first-ever successful ascent of the highest mountain in the world.

This marks 70 years of the first-ever successful ascent of Mount Everest. Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay successfully conquered the height of Mount Everest on 29 May 1953. After the demise of Hillary in 2008, International Mount Everest Day is being celebrated every year on May 29.

On the 16th International Mount Everest Day, the government of Nepal recognised above 100 Mount Everest climbers with the Sagarmatha special badge. The decision on special badge was taken as per the initiatives by the Everest Summiteers' Association, said ESA General Secretary Shiva Bahadur Sapkota.

Among the climbers who received the government batch, Kami Rita Sherpa has clinched the world record of the most successful ascent of Mount Everest. The legendary climber has scaled Mt Everest for 28 times. Sanu Sherpa was the first person to successfully complete the double ascent of all the 14 eight-thousanders. Many other renowned climbers from Nepal and abroad received the Sagarmatha special badge on the occasion.

The Government of Nepal also felicitated climbers with various awards. Sanu Sherpa was felicitated with Sagarmatha National Award. Likewise, Mount Everest summiteers Pasang Dawa Sherpa, Nepal Army Col Kishor Adhikari and Pasang Lhamu Sherpa 'Akita' were felicitated with Tenzing Hillary Award.

ESA General Secretary Sapkota was also honoured for his contribution in recognizing Everest Summiteers with special government batch.

State Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sushila Sirpali Thakuri conferred the climbers with the badges. On the occasion, the State Minister also launched the Mount Everest special issue of Nepal Parbat, a publication of the NMA. Minister Thakuri also felicitated the members of the rope-fixing team and trekking agencies up Everest the most in the year 2022.

Minister Thakuri hailed the distribution of badges to the climbers as important work in recognising the climbers. ''This is really an important work for climbers and Nepal as well. The climbers will get recognition worldwide as Mount Everest Summiteer and the logo of the Government of Nepal inscribed on the badge will also help Nepal to get recognition worldwide,'' said the state minister.

Secretary of MoCTCA Suresh Adhikari announced that the Government of Nepal would organise such celebrations on the first successful summits of other eight-thousanders of Nepal as well. ''Mountains are the backbone of Nepali tourism. Therefore, we should preserve and promote our mountains,'' Secretary Adhikari said, adding, ''The Ministry is committed to creating a tourism-friendly environment in Nepal. The Ministry will organise such celebrations of other eight-thousanders of Nepal in days to come.''

President of NMA Nima Nuru Sherpa pledged to focus on training in its efforts to promote mountain tourism of Nepal. ''NMA has been safeguarding the mountains of Nepal for the past 50 years. However, we have to enhance our activities and reach,'' he said, adding, ''NMA will focus more on training to produce skillful human resources for the safety of mountaineering in Nepal.''

Director General of Department of Tourism Hom Prasad Luitel, President of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal Nil Hari Bastola, Chairman of Jugal Rural Municipality Resham Syngbo and Vice-Chairman of Nepal Tourism Board Chandra Rijal stressed on sustainable promotion of Nepali mountain tourism.

Before a formal event, climbers from Nepal and abroad took part in a rally. The rally started from Thamel, a tourism hub of Kathmandu, and marched to the Nepal Tourism Board hall via Keshar Mahal, Kings Palace, Ghantaghar and Ratnapark.