Everest Award Announcement

Kathmandu, July 5

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation on Sunday selected nine climbers for the 'Everest Award' and the 'Tenzing-Hillary Award,' which have been suspended for two years due to the Corona pandemic.

According to Mira Acharya, director of the tourism department, based on the recommendation of the award committee, Shambhu Tamang, who has maintained the record of 'youngest climber' for a long time, will be given the Everest award of Rs 1 lakh (one hundred thousand) for 2020 and Kami Rita Sherpa, who will climb the highest Everest for 2021.

Tamang's record of climbing Mt. Everest at the age of 17 was broken by Tembachiri Sherpa in 2001 after 29 years. Similarly, Kami Rita Sherpa broke his own world record by climbing Mt. Everest for the 25th time in the spring of this year.

Similarly, the Tenzing Hillary Award of Rs 50,000 will be given to seven climbers. Sanu Sherpa, who has already climbed 14 of the world's 8,000-meter-high mountains before 2019, will be awarded the 2010 Tenzing Hillary Prize for the second time.

Ang Dawa Sherpa and Pasang Phuti Sherpa, the world's first couple to climb Mt. Everest together in the same season, and Ngima Nuru Sherpa, who has climbed Mt. Everest 22 times at the age of 37, will also receive the 2020 Tenzing Hillary Award.

The 2021 Tenzing-Hillary Award will be given to Mingma Galje Sherpa, Funjo Jangmu Lama, and Sarmila Lama of Dolakha. On the basis of the recommendation of the five-member award committee formed under the coordination of Director General of the Department of Tourism Rudra Tamang, Minister for Tourism Lilanath Shrestha on Sunday, selected the names of nine climbers who will receive the award.

These awards are being given by the Government of Nepal on the occasion of Everest Day, which is celebrated all over the world on May 29, 1953, commemorating the day when the first human footsteps reached the world's highest peak Mount Everest.

The award committee, comprising representatives of the department, ministry staff, and organizations related to hiking and mountaineering, recommends to the minister for the award to climbers who are not involved in disputes in mountaineering, abide by the law, and professional dignity, and are engaged in social work. In addition, indigenous and foreign climbers who introduce Nepal abroad are entitled to this award.