KATHMANDU: Hundreds of mountaineers, family members, friends and well-wishers gathered in Kathmandu on Thursday to pay their final respects to veteran Nepali mountain guide Pur Bahadur "Yukta" Gurung, whose body was brought home from Pakistan a week after he was killed in the deadly Broad Peak avalanche.

Gurung's mortal remains arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport in the afternoon, where representatives of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN), Expedition Operators' Association Nepal (EOA), Expedition Support Alliance (ESA), fellow climbers and relatives assembled to receive the casket draped in the national flag. Many offered floral tributes before the body was escorted to the NMA headquarters at Nagpokhari for a public memorial.

At the NMA premises, hundreds more gathered to bid farewell to one of Nepal's accomplished mountain guides. Family members, fellow climbers and members of the mountaineering fraternity laid wreaths and khadas on the casket, while a solemn tribute programme honoured Gurung's decades-long contribution to Himalayan mountaineering.

NMA President Fur Gelje Sherpa described Gurung as a fearless, humble and highly respected professional whose contribution to Nepal's mountaineering industry would be remembered for generations. He also expressed gratitude to the all those involved in search and recovery teams, and others who worked under extremely challenging conditions following the Broad Peak avalanche.

TAAN President Sagar Pandey said Gurung was a name "etched by the mountains" whose courage, dedication and determination would continue to inspire future generations of climbers. He said the veteran guide's life and achievements had become a lasting source of inspiration for Nepal's tourism and mountaineering community.

Gurung served as vice-president of the NMA Gandaki Province Committee and was a member of the NMA Manang Mountaineering School Committee. According to expedition organiser Elite Exped, he had summited Mt Everest 10 times, completed 28 ascents of peaks above 8,000 metres, explored several previously unclimbed Himalayan peaks and recently earned the prestigious International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) certification.

He was among the 10 climbers killed when a massive avalanche struck an international expedition on Broad Peak (8,047m) in Pakistan on July 30. The victims included world-renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal "Nims" Purja and climbers from Nepal, Pakistan, China, Oman and the United States.

Following the memorial ceremony, Gurung's body will be taken to his residence. His final rites are scheduled to be performed at Swayambhu on Friday morning in accordance with Buddhist traditions.