KATHMANDU, APRIL 18 Mountaineer Fur Diki Sherpa has announced a bid to complete the fastest ascent of Mount Lhotse (8,516m) this spring, aiming to climb from base camp to summit and return within 24 hours. Sherpa made the announcement at a press conference held Saturday at Crimpanzee Adventure Hub in Mahakal, Kathmandu. The 51-year-old, originally from Dingboche in Solukhumbu, said the expedition is dedicated to the memory of her late father, Ang Nima Sherpa, a senior icefall doctor, and his close friend Iman Singh Gurung. 'My father had a dream of climbing Lhotse, but he could not fulfill it. I am now going to complete his dream,' she said, adding that she will carry their photographs to the summit. She also framed the attempt as a message of inspiration to women worldwide. 'If I can achieve such a goal at this age, it sends a message that other women can also fulfill their dreams,' she said. Sherpa and Nima Doma Sherpa became the first single women - widows - to summit Mount Everest, reaching the top on May 23, 2019. She departs for Lukla from Kathmandu on April 22. Speaking at the press conference, Mingma Gyabu (David) Sherpa, Member of Parliament, said Nepal is rich in mountains and holds immense opportunities that often go unrecognised. 'There is a perception that Nepal has nothing and no possibilities, but in reality, there are immense opportunities,' he added. Phur Gelje Sherpa, president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), praised the Sherpa community's role in raising Nepal's global profile and urged people to remain in the country and build their communities rather than seek opportunities abroad. 'The day will come when not only the Sherpa community but the entire world will be proud,' he said. Laxman Adhikari, chairman of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Municipality Ward No. 4, said the municipality would take initiatives to support the rights of single women. Ang Tshering Sherpa, chairman of Asian Trekking Pvt. Ltd., also attended and extended his best wishes. Fur Diki Sherpa holds training certifications from the Khumbu Climbing Center and the NMA, including Basic, Advanced and Double Advanced mountaineering courses and High Mountain Rescue Team training. Her climbing record includes Everest, Ama Dablam, Himlung Himal, Island Peak, Lobuche Peak and several other Himalayan peaks. She has also led all-women expeditions on Himlung Himal and Paldor Peak.