Kathmandu, May 29:

Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and Nepal Tourism Board today marked the 55 years of the ascent of the Mt Everest by organising several programmes here. The day was also celebrated in Solukhumbu area.

During a function in the capital, some 25 Mt Everest summiteers were awarded and some personalities were honoured for their contribution to Mt Everest’s environment conservation. Among the awardees, Dr Ang Nima Sherpa was awarded with Sagarmatha Puraskar 2065.

Secretary at MoCTCA Lilamani Paudel said celebration of the Sagarmatha Day had become a matter of international significance. “It has become a challenge for the world to conserve the Sagarmatha region and to safeguard the world’s heritage site from the threats of climate change.”

Tashi Tenzing Sherpa, the grandson of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, the first conqueror of Mt Everest, said the government should be more serious to honour the devotion and contribution of the Sherpas to the world’s highest peak in making Nepal known to the world.

Chairman of Nepal Mountaineering Association Ang Tshering Sherpa said the government’s responsibility towards the Sagarmatha region has changed with the changing context due to global warming.

In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal conquered the Sagarmatha for the first time and proved that scaling the world’s top peak was possible. After the event, it is estimated that more than 3,000 Nepalis and foreigners have scaled Mt Everest till now.

With an aim to mark the day, several events are being organised. Among them, the major are: Mountain film show, tourism quiz contest, essay competition, scholarship, wall climbing training for students, clean-up programme and Tenzing Hilary Everest marathon.