KATHMANDU: Colorado State has officially proclaimed May 29 as Sherpa Appreciation Day, honouring the extraordinary contributions of the Sherpa community to mountaineering, humanitarian work, and the cultural fabric of the American state — a recognition driven in significant part by the decade-long efforts of Pemba Tenzing Sherpa, Founder of the Sherpa Foundation and a driving force behind the Sherpa community's organised presence in Colorado.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed the proclamation on May 29, 2026 — Everest Day — at a special ceremony held at the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver, attended by Consul General of Nepal in Dallas Suresh Adhikari and Deputy Consul General Dhana Kumari Joshi.

"On behalf of all the Nepali climbers and Sherpas from around the globe, I want to thank the Governor of Colorado for honouring Sherpa climbers in Colorado and proclaiming May 29 as Sherpa Appreciation Day," said Pemba Tenzing Sherpa. "Nepal as a nation has yet to fully honour and recognise the contributions, sacrifices, and unparalleled role the Sherpa community has played in world mountaineering. But today we can say with pride that the State of Colorado has given that recognition — and this is not just a declaration for one day. It is a tribute to an entire community that has left an indelible mark on human history through courage, perseverance, and service."

A proclamation rooted in achievement

The Governor's proclamation is sweeping in its acknowledgement of what the Sherpa community has contributed — both on the mountain and off it. It names 18 Sherpa climbers based in Colorado who have summited Everest between one and 21 times, collectively representing one of the most remarkable concentrations of high-altitude mountaineering achievement anywhere in the world.

Leading the list is Apa Sherpa, who has summited Everest 21 times — a record that stood as the all-time world record for years. Tendi Sherpa follows with 18 summits, Lhakpa Rita Sherpa with 17, Mingma Chhiring Sherpa and Phunuru Sherpa each with 16, Panuru Sherpa with 16, and Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa with 15 — the last of whom also holds the record for the fastest Everest summit at 10 hours and 56 minutes. Tamting Sherpa has summited 11 times, Pasang Dawa Sherpa and Mingma Tenjing Sherpa nine times each, and Ngima Gyljen Sherpa, Lhakpa Norbu Sherpa, Lhakpa Sherpa, Pasang Gelu Sherpa, and Ngima Gyljen Sherpa four times each. Female mountaineers honoured in the proclamation include Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, and Nima Doma Sherpa — each recognised for their Everest summit.

The proclamation also acknowledged the Sherpa Foundation's humanitarian work following the 2015 Nepal Earthquake, during which the foundation united communities across Colorado and the United States to rebuild more than 200 homes, restore historic monasteries in the Everest region, support schools, and strengthen community infrastructure throughout Nepal.

"Sherpas are a unique Himalayan people internationally respected for their elite mountaineering skills, courage, resilience, honesty, and integrity, helping climbers from around the world achieve their dreams by often placing their own lives on the line first," Governor Polis wrote in the proclamation, adding that Colorado — home to the Rocky Mountains and a state shaped by the spirit of adventure — shares a natural bond with the values embodied by the Himalayan people.

Everest Day celebrations in Denver

The proclamation was preceded by a wider set of Everest Day events organised by the Consulate General of Nepal in Dallas in collaboration with the Sherpa Association of Colorado on May 30, at the Nepali Cultural Centre — Nepali Ghar — in Westminster, Denver. Around 125 people attended, including Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, Everest summiteers, representatives of Nepali organisations, and members of the diaspora. Helping Hands Health Education provided additional support.

The event featured a video message from Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal marking Everest Day, a documentary on Everest climbing produced by the Sherpa community, and traditional Shyabru dance and Nepali cultural performances. Multiple Everest summiteers shared their personal climbing experiences with the audience.

Consul General Suresh Adhikari, addressing the gathering, said the event marked Everest Day under the theme "Sagarmatha, the Highest Peak of the World: Identity and Pride of Nepal," and that the occasion served to honour the mountaineering spirit and the Sherpa community's contribution, while also raising environmental awareness about the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. He recalled the Sagarmatha Call for Action issued in Kathmandu, which called for collective international effort to reduce the impacts of climate change on mountain ecosystems, and reaffirmed Nepal's commitment to protecting the Himalayan environment.

Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett and District Attorney Michael Dougherty conveyed their congratulations on the occasion and praised the contribution of the Nepali community to Colorado.

The Sherpa Association of Colorado, a non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving, promoting, and sharing Himalayan culture and traditions while educating the Western world about Sherpa heritage, was central to both events.