Nepali 'babus' conquer Mt. Everest to promote tourism

Leaving their files, meetings and humdrum office routine far behind, nine civil servants from Nepal set foot on top of Mount Everest on Wednesday with the aim of promoting tourism.

Updated on: May 18, 2011, 13:05:44 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Leaving their files, meetings and humdrum office routine far behind, nine civil servants from Nepal set foot on top of Mount Everest on Wednesday with the aim of promoting tourism.

This is the first time an expedition comprising civil servants has reached the peak of any major mountain. Nepal is celebrating Nepal Tourism Year 2011 with the aim of attracting one million tourists.

"The expedition was divided into two teams and they reached the peak safely between 6 and 7 am," informed tourism ministry spokesperson Lakshman Bhattarai from the Everest Base Camp.

The first team had five civil servants and five Sherpas (climbing guides) and the second team comprised four team members and 10 Sherpas.

"As far as we know this is the first instance of an all civil servant team reaching top of Everest. Once back in Kathmandu, we will verify it and apply for the record," he said.

Bhattarai, a member of the 15-member expedition, was also supposed to attempt the feat. But he returned to the base camp due to health reasons.

Four other members also abandoned their bids due illness while expedition leader Lilamani Poudel returned to Kathmandu after he was appointed as Nepal's new home secretary.

Till Wednesday a total of 135 climbers have reached the top of Everest this season. Three climbers including former Nepal minister Shailendra Kumar Upadhayay (82) have died while attempting the feat.

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.