Apa Sherpa Climber Everest for 21st times- 11 May

Legendry Everest summiteers Apa Sherpa, Climbing Leader of Eco Everest Expedition 2011 reached the summit of Mt. Everest for the 21st time - a new world record with the message of "Stop Climate Change". He joined Eco Everest for his 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st Summit of Mt. Everest in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. At 09:15am this morning, Eco Everest Expedition Climbing Leader Apa Sherpa and members Chris Shumate (49 yrs) of USA, Bruno Gremior (39yrs) of Switzerland together with three Altitude Slimbing Sherpas, Ang Dawa Sherpa, Phurba Sherpa, and Arita Sherpa, stood on the top of Mt. Everest (8848m). They had left Camp 4 (7950m) last night, 10 May at 10:30 pm.

Civil Servants Ascended Everest- 18 May

The nine member of the first historic expedition Civil Servants' First Everest Expedition 2011 ascended Everest on 18 May 2011. The 15-member expedition led by Secretary Mr. Lila Mani Paudyal was organized on the occasion of Nepal Tourism Year 2011. The successful members of the expedition are:

Mr. Hari Prasad Guragain
Mr. Tulsi Ram Bhandari
Mr. Suraj Pokharel
Mr. Suber Shrestha
Mr. Hari Dhakal
Mr. Khim Lal Gautam
Mr. Santa Kumar Maharjan
Mr. Padam Bahadur Bhandari
Mr. Gyanendra Kumar Shrestha

NMA extended congratulation to the expedition team.

Civil Servants' First Everest Expedition Felicitated

NMA organized a felication program to honor Civil Servants' First Everest Expedition team at Everest base camp. NMA Secretary Diwas Pokhrel participating on behalf of NMA congratulated the members of the expedition team. He highlighted the problems and situation of Everest area. The program was chaired by Tourism Industry Division Chief Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Laxman Bhattarai. He assured the cooperation of the ministry for the conservation of environment in Everest area.

Felicitation of Civil Servants' First Everest Expedition

Save the Everest Mission- 22 May

NMA Central Executive Board Member Mr. Pasang Sherpa participated in Save the Everest Mission conducted by Everest Summiteers' Association. According to the press statement released by ESA, 8.1 tons of garbage were collected from Everest and its trails during the cleaning expedition. Mr. Diwas Pokhrel Details on the Save the Everest Mission can be viewed at http://www.everestsummiteersassociation.org/

Garbage collected during Save the Everest Mission

Unveiling of Memorial Pillar of Tenzing and Hillary at International Mountaineers' Memorial Park

4th International Sagarmatha Day was celebrated grandly nationwide on 29 th May 2011. On this auspicious occasion, Dr. Ganesh Raj Joshi- Secretary, Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation unveiled the memorial pillars constructed in the memory of legendry mountaineers Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa. The pillars are constructed in NMA's International Mountaineers' Memorial Park (IMMP), Kakani. The program started with the welcome speech of Santa Bir Lama, II nd Vice President and Convener, IMMP. Mr. Apa Sherpa- the record holder on climbing Everest for 21 times and the first Nepali to climb all the fourteen peaks above 8000m Mr. Mingmar Sherpa were also present in the program.

The Chief Guest of the Program appreciated the role of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmond Hilary in the promotion of mountain tourism of Nepal globally. He also praised their effort in ascending Everest with their limited equipments at the underdeveloped stage of mountaineering.

Finally, NMA President thanked Tourism Secretary and other personals present in the program. He requested to the ministry for the support and contribution in materializing the plans and programs mentioned in the master plan of the park.

MoTCA Unveiling the Memorial Pillar

4th International Sagarmatha Day Celebration

Nepal Tourism Board organized the formal program on the occasion of 4th International Sagarmatha Day. Hon'ble Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadga Bahadur Biswokarma, Tourism Secretary Dr. Ganesh Raj Joshi were present in the program. The chief guest put the first cancellation mark on the official stamp released on the occasion of International Sagarmatha Day. The chief guest awarded Mr. Mingma Sherpa with Sagarmatha National Award for his appreciative record in being the first Nepali to climb all fourteen peaks of above 8000m in the world. Mt. Manaslu is the first mountain which he climbed in 2000 in the process of making record. He completed his record by ascending Mt. Kanchenjunga on 20 May 2011. Likewise, Dr. Luanne Freer was awarded with Tenzing Hillary Award for her role in the treatment of climbers and members involved in the expedition and trekking. The Everest summiteers, who climbed Everest in the current spring season, were also honored with the medals in the program. The members and supporters of the historic expedition First Civil Servant Everest Expedition 2011 were given away the certificate and medals for their historic successful ascent of the Everest. Hon'ble Minister also handed over the certificates to the participants of High Mountain Rescue Training conducted by Nepal Mountaineering Instructors' Association (NMIA) and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA).

The memorial pillar of Edmund HIllary was visited by his wife June Hillary on 31 May 2011. She appreciated and thanked NMA for its initiative in constructing the pillar, which can be regarded as the source of information for the younger generation.

June Hillary Offering Flower