KATHMANDU, MAY 26
Mountaineering fraternity today joined friends and families of Phunjo Jhangmu Lama in welcoming her for setting the world record on Mt Everest in the spring climbing season.
Upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, a group of tourism enterprenuers, climbers and government officials warmly welcomed Phunjo as she returned from Lukla acheiving her aim to be the fastest woman Everest summiteer in the world.
Officials from the Everest Summiteer Association, Climbing Sports Association, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Himalayan Rescue Association, Nepal National Mountain Guides Association and government officials received Phunjo at TIA.
Phunjo set the world record scaling Everest in 14 hours and 31 minutes and returning the base camp in a total 24 hours and 26 minutes on May 23. She arrived at the base camp from the summit in 10 hours 18 minutes.
Phunjo started her ascend from the base camp at 3:52pm on Wednesday and reached the summit point at 6:23am on Thursday.
In 2018, Phunjo made headlines after reaching the Everest summit in 39 hours and 6 minutes. Later in 2021, Ada Tsang Yin-hung of Hong Kong broke Phunjo's record scaling the world's highest peak in 25 hours 50 minutes. Phunjo has arrived in the base camp at 4:16pm. "She has also completed base camp to base camp journey in a record 24 hours and 24 minutes."
Trained in the Swiss Alps and Nepal's Himalayas, Phunjo climbed Mt Everest on the auspicious occasion of Buddha Jayanti, calling for the world peace, officials added.
Phunjo, who is the first Nepali female helicopter long-line rescuer, had already been awarded with the Tenzing-Hilary award by the government.
Born in Chhokangpaaro village of Tsum valley in Gorkha, Phunjo scaled Mt Everest, Mt Manaslu, Mt Cho Oyu and other peaks including Amdablam, Lobuche and Denali. She has also supported rural communities for their livelihood.
