KATHMANDU: Nepal on Friday is celebrating the 73rd International Sagarmatha Day with a procession through the heart of Kathmandu, a formal felicitation ceremony honouring record-breaking climbers and mountaineering contributors, and a pointed call from the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) to Parliament to preserve the body's statutory rights in new tourism legislation.

The day, observed annually on May 29 to commemorate Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary's first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953, was marked by events organised with the support of the NMA and Nepal's broader tourism sector.

A morning procession commenced from Thamel and passed through Kesar Mahal, King's Way, and Jamal, drawing representatives from tourism organisations across the country. A formal ceremony was later held at Sanskritik Sansthan (Nach Ghar) in Jamal, presided over by Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Khadak Raj Paudel 'Ganess'.

Record-breakers felicitated

Minister Paudel felicitated Kami Rita Sherpa and Lhakpa Sherpa for their landmark achievements this spring season. Kami Rita Sherpa now holds the world record for the most Everest summits at 32, while Lhakpa Sherpa leads the women's category with 11 ascents.

The Minister also conferred the following awards:

— International Sagarmatha Award: Pasang Dawa Sherpa, for his 31st ascent of Mount Everest — the second-highest summit count in history.

— Tenzing Hillary Search and Rescue Award: Pilot Priya Adhikari, for contributions to high-altitude search and rescue operations.

— Tenzing Hillary Record Holder Climber Award: Tenzing David Sherpa, for summiting Everest, Nuptse, and Lhotse in a single season.

— Pema Doma Women Climber Award: Purnima Shrestha, for three Everest summits in a single season.

— Tenzing Hillary Research Award: Prof. Dr. Bishal Nath Upreti, for contributions to mountaineering research and knowledge.

Ministry Secretary Mukunda Prasad Niraula separately presented Letters of Appreciation to members of the rope-fixing teams on Everest and Lhotse.

NMA urges parliament on tourism law

On the sidelines of the celebrations, NMA President Fur Gelje Sherpa used the occasion to press the government on a legislative concern. He urged Parliament to retain all provisions granted to the NMA under Tourism Act 2035 in the proposed new tourism law currently under discussion.

"The NMA has long supported the Government of Nepal in various capacities within the mountaineering sector. Recognising the organisation's significant contribution, the government had incorporated special provisions for the NMA in the Tourism Act 2035," Sherpa said. He warned that those provisions had reportedly been dropped from the new draft. "We humbly request the Government of Nepal to retain all NMA-related provisions in the new legislation as well," he added.

The NMA contributes to Nepal's mountaineering sector through skills training programmes, management and revenue collection from 27 trekking peaks, and international tourism promotion.