82-yr-old Nepal ex-minister dies in Everest bid

An 82-year-old former Nepal minister who was attempting to scale Mount Everest and enter record books as the oldest person on top of the world’s tallest mountain died on Monday.

Updated on: May 9, 2011, 23:54:31 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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An 82-year-old former Nepal minister who was attempting to scale Mount Everest and enter record books as the oldest person on top of the world’s tallest mountain died on Monday.

Shailendra Kumar Upadhyay, a former finance minister, was attempting eclipse the record set by fellow minister Bahadur Sherchan (76) when he collapsed at the Everest icefall and died. “It’s confirmed that Upadhay is no more. It was not an accident...,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa, former president of Nepal Mountaineering Association.

Upadhay’s body is still lying at the icefall. A team of 17 Sherpas led by noted Nepali climber Dawa Steven Sherpa will leave for the icefall on Tuesday morning to bring the body back.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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