KATHMANDU: Renowned Nepali mountaineer Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, famously known as Mingma G, was honoured with the International Sagarmatha Award 2082 during a special ceremony marking the 72nd International Sagarmatha Day and the World Summiteers’ Summit in Kathmandu.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli conferred the prestigious award, praising Mingma G’s unwavering spirit, remarkable achievements in the Himalayas, and his role in inspiring generations of climbers across the world.

Born and raised in the remote Rolwaling Valley at an altitude of 4,200 metres, Mingma G has built an extraordinary career in high-altitude mountaineering since 2006. He is the first Nepali climber to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks without supplemental oxygen, a feat achieved by only a handful globally.

Over the years, he has summited Everest six times, K2 five times, and Manaslu seven times, among numerous other 8,000ers including Lhotse, Annapurna, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Makalu, Broad Peak, Cho Oyu, Shishapangma, Gasherbrum I & II, and Nanga Parbat.

In 2021, he was part of the historic team of 10 Nepali climbers who achieved the first winter ascent of K2, the world’s second-highest peak and one of the most dangerous. He was also the first to summit Nanga Parbat in autumn (2017), and has made pioneering ascents of lesser-known Himalayan peaks including Cheki-Go (6,257m), Bamongo (6,400m), and Chobuje (6,685m) via the west face.

Mingma G has also ventured beyond the Himalayas. In December 2024, he completed the Seven Summits challenge—climbing the highest peaks on all seven continents—and reached the South Pole on skis, a rare accomplishment among Nepali explorers.

In addition to his mountaineering accolades, Mingma G is an IFMGA/UIAGM certified mountain guide and the founder of Imagine Nepal Treks Pvt. Ltd. He also holds the record for the most Manaslu summits without oxygen, having reached the foresummit four times and the true summit three times—six of those ascents done without supplemental oxygen.

His career is not only a testament to endurance and skill but also a reflection of Nepal’s evolving legacy in global adventure tourism and high-altitude climbing.