Nepal: Avalanche deaths, Republic Day cloud Everest conquest celebrations

Deaths of the Sherpa in the biggest accident in Everest’s history, which resulted in an abrupt end to this season’s climbing expeditions on the mountain, affected Everest Day celebrations this time.

Updated on: May 29, 2014, 12:30:51 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Deaths of 16 Sherpa guides in an avalanche last month and the country’s republic day functions eclipsed the annual Everest Day celebrations in Nepal on Thursday.

The day is marked every year on May 29 to commemorate the first ascent of Mount Everest by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

But deaths of the Sherpa in the biggest accident in Everest’s history, which resulted in an abrupt end to this season’s climbing expeditions on the mountain, affected celebrations this time.

“Nearly 2,000 people belonging to over 40 tourism related associations carried out a rally in the morning to mark the event,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of Nepal Mountaineering Association.

The lone survivor of the 1953 expedition, Kancha Sherpa, 81 was felicitated and statutes of Hillary and Tenzing were garlanded to mark the day which also concluded the year-long diamond jubilee celebrations of the first ascent.

On Wednesday evening hundreds took part in a candle light march to remember the 16 Sherpas who perished in the avalanche.

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

Get the latest headlines from US news and global updates from Pakistan, Nepal, UK, Bangladesh, Russia and US Iran war Live, get all the latest headlines in one place on Hindustan Times.