Shrestha among three receives Tenzing-Hillary award
KATHMANDU: A government officer among three persons has been honoured with the most prestigious Tenzing Hillary award for his significant contribution in Nepal’s mountaineering sector.
The government has awarded Gyanendra Shrestha, who has often been considered as the sole source of official information about mountaineering expeditions, with the Tenzing Hillary award during a programme organised to mark the first ascent of the world’s highest peak.
Shrestha, who climbed Mt Everest as part of an expedition of the government employees in 2011, has spent more than a month at the base camp on Mt Everest facilitating the spring expeditions in the recent years.
Besides, president of the Everest Summiteers Association Maya Sherpa has been awarded with the Tenzing Hillary award for her role in promoting the country’s mountaineering sector. Sherpa, a record holder climber, successfully climbed Mt Kanchenjunga (8,586 m) this season becoming the first Nepali woman climber to scale the three highest mountains – Mt Everest, Mt K2 and Mt Kanchenjunga.
Australian climber Anthony Gordon, who established the world’s first Sherpa rescue team on Mt Everest in 2016, has also been honoured with the award which carries a purse of Rs 50,000 and a letter of appreciation.
On the occasion, the government has also awarded renowned South Korean mountaineer Um Hong Gil with the Everest Award for his contribution to the betterment of Nepal’s tourism sector. The award carries a purse of Rs 100,000. Gil who supported Khumbu people through the Um Hong Gil Foundation has successfully made 16 successful ascents to the mountains above 8,000 m including Mt Everest for the third time.