KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari honoured ultra runner Sanjay Pandit at a programme organised at the office of the President at Sheetal Niwas on Tuesday.

Pandit was honoured for his crucial contribution in making the country renown in the international arena by climbing mountains of the world. He recently bagged a record on December 21, 2015 by climbing Mt Kilomanjaro of Africa backwards in the time of 24 hours 40 minutes.

On the occasion, President Bhandari handed over the certificate to mountaineer Pandit provided by Kilomanjaro National Park while Pandit also handed over the national flag that he had taken with himself at the Mt Kilomanjaro, to the President.

Expressing gratitude to ultra runner Pandit for his contribution to the country, President Bhandari said, "All should respect and honour such talent." Pandit has also climbed Mt Sagarmatha along with other mountains above 8,000 meters including Mt Manaslu, Mt Elbrus of Europe and Mt Fuji of Japan.

Mountaineer Pandit, who has already climbed highest mountains in six continents of the world, has been making preparation to climb Mt Vinson of Antarctica this year.