Yasmin Taj and Rita Dhital

Kathmandu:

Kaji Sherpa: Few may believe this but for Kaji Sherpa, who has already made five successful trips to Mt Everest, climbing the highest peaks of the world is just a habit. “It is the excitement

of conquest that takes you to the summit the first time and from the next time around, it is done out of habit,” says Kaji. Born in Solu, Kaji made his first attempt to scale the peak in 1985 at 19. But it was in 1992 that he finally made it to summit. He was accompanying an American team as an assistant. It was only after three more successful trips that he was able to break the record of Frenchman Marc Batard, who took 22 hours and 29 minutes to reach the summit, to summit in the fastes time of 20 hours and 24 minutes. Babu Chhiri who made the trip in 16 hours 56 minutes later shattered the record. Starting from base camp, it usually takes four days to cover the distance to the summit. Kaji reached the peak after an exhausting all-night climb without the use of supplementary oxygen. Mountain expeditions are full of risks and Kaji has several experiences of narrow escapes from death in his more than 15 years experience of climbing. “Once we were washed away by an avalanche up to 700 metres but I was lucky enough to survive. Sometimes we have fallen to 200-300 metres down crevasses that we could not see because it was covered by a thin layer of snow. Scarcity of food and bad weather are the most common problems we face on the mountain,” Kaji shares.

Pasang Lhamu Sherpa: One name amongst all the famous mountaineers of Nepal that has left indelible memories in our minds is that of Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to have successfully conquered the Mt Everest. Pasang died on her way back from summit in 1993. “Pasang was a very determined and positive human being and wanted to serve humanity at large. Even after three failed attempts, she never gave up hope and stuck to her decision of fulfilling her aim. I was devastated to hear about her demise since I was also on an expedition during that time,” says Kaji Sherpa, friend and compatriot, adding, “I was one of those who actually helped carry her dead body back to base camp.” Pasang Lhamu Sherpa was born on the 10 December 1961 in Surke, Solukhumbu, Nepal. As an adolescent, she worked with her father Phurba Kitar Sherpa as a trekking guide. Later, she married Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa and lived with him in Kathmandu where the couple raised their three children, Dawa Futi Sherpa, Namgyal Sherpa and Diki Sherpa. The Government of Nepal declared Pasang Lhamu Sherpa as a National Luminary of the Country on the ninth anniversary of her success in climbing Mt Everest. She is the second female national luminary of Nepal. In 1990, Sherpa made her first attempt to climb Mt Everest (8,848m) but managed to reach only 8,000 m. In 1991, she scaled Yala Peak (5,800 m) and then attempted to scale Everest twice, reaching up to 8,750 m in the fist attempt and 8,500 m in the second. Finally in 1993, Sherpa made her fourth and successful attempt to scale Mt. Everest. Having achieved what no other Nepali woman had before her, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa received great national and international honour and respect posthumously.

• The Government of Nepal has renamed the Jasamba Himal (7,315 m) in the Mahalangur Range as the Pasang Lhamu Peak

• The Government of Nepal issued a postage stamp in her honour

• Lhamu Sherpa is the first woman to be awarded the “Nepali Tara” as a Rastriya Bhivuti by Late King Birendra

Shambhu Tamang: It was way back in 1973 when an 18-year-old Shambhu Tamang set out to conquer the world’s highest peak and he was the youngest to do so at that time finding a place for himself the Guinness Book of World Records. Scaling a height of 8,848 metres is definitely not a cakewalk and it was, indeed, more difficult in those times when technology hadn’t spread to such far-off destinations. It was the determination and perseverance of this young mountaineer that helped him climb this giant mountain in 1973 with an Italian team and once again in 1985 with a Spanish team. “Technically, we were backward then and, in fact, the weather has also changed now,” Tamang informs.

“We used to hit snow at the altitude of 13,000-14,000 feet in those times whereas nowadays one confronts snow only after 18,000 feet.” Born in 1955 in Sindhupalchowk, Tamang is one of the founder members of Nepal Mountaineering Association and is spending his days training the young and enthusiastic mountaineers of today giving them all the suggestions they require for a successful ascent. He also has his own tre-kking company. “Cli-mbing Mount Everest is not an easy task but it is a little better for the people who live in high-altitude. One has to learn how to acclimatise. This is why I believe that every mountaineer should have a clear knowledge about how one should go about it,” says Tamang. Problems faced include oxygen deficiency, snow blindness, avalanches, frost bites and possibility of brain damage. Tamang proved that nothing could deter him and can definitely be called one of our living national heroes.