KATHMANDU: The government on Sunday honoured nine Sherpa climbers who first stood atop the Mt Everest this season, amidst a function on the occasion of the ninth International Mt Everest Day. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli honoured members of the summit rope-fixing team including Gyalzen Sherpa, Gyalzen Dorjee Sherpa, Ang Pemba Sherpa, Nima Tshering Sherpa, Pasang Tenzing Sherpa, Mingma Sherpa, Mingma Chhiri Sherpa, Pasang Dorjee Sherpa and Lhakpa Tshering Sherpa with the cash prize of Rs 50,000 for each. Prime Minister Oli also congratulated the Mt Everest summiteers expressing his commitment to support the country’s tourism sector which was hit hard by multiple disasters in the last two years. The Sherpas performed the job of rope fixation putting their lives in jeopardy and their achievement was reflected in the successful ascent of Mt Everest by more than 400 climbers in the spring season, according to Ang Tshering Sherpa, President of Nepal Mountaineering Association. The expeditions on the Mt Everest were unable to succeed in 2014 and 15. But, this year, more that 400 national and foreign summiteers successfully climbed the world’s highest peak. A dispute on the Mt Everest in 2013, an avalanche in 2014 - which killed 16 Nepali Everest climbers - and the 2015 earthquake had put Nepal's mountain tourism in very critical condition. “But this year's successful expeditions erased all these things and helped mountain tourism to reposition almost in the previous stage,” Sherpa said, adding that it was worthwhile to mention about the contribution of nine summit rope-fixing team of Sherpa climbers, who fixed the rope from the South Col (8000 m) to the summit of Mt Everest (8848 m), becoming the first to reach the summit point in the season on May 11. On the occasion, Everest climbers, rope-fixing team coordinators, Expedition Operator Association of Nepal and Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee were also honoured for their contribution in making the season’s climbing a success. The Mt Everest Day celebration has been a significant occasion for the promotion of Nepal's mountain tourism after the devastating earthquake and the economic blockade, organisers of the event said. Earlier, a morning procession was organised from Thamel to Bhrikuti Mandap where ministers, climbers, tourism entrepreneurs and government officials among others were also present. Nepal celebrates May 29 as the International Mt Everest Day marking the first successful ascent of the world's highest peak by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in 1953.