On top of the world at 77

A 77-year-old retired Nepali soldier has entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest man to have climbed Mount Everest, reports Utpal Parashar.

Updated on: Nov 24, 2009, 02:11:35 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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A 77-year-old retired Nepali soldier has entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest man to have climbed Mount Everest.

Min Bahadur Sherchan who climbed the world’s tallest peak in May last year at the age of 76 years beat the previous record of Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura, two years his junior.

According to reports, documentary lapses led Guinness to recognise Miura’s claim as Sherchan had failed to complete the formalities needed. The Japanese had scaled the peak two days after Sherchan.

The Nepali climber was shocked when he came to know in February this year about Miura’s claim to the record.

Enquiries revealed that the documents he had couriered to the Guinness office were not sufficient and hence Miura’s claim got recognised.

Sherchan had sent a copy of the recognition given by the Nepali government and a letter of appreciation by President Ram Baran Yadav.

But he went to Guinness’s London office this year and gave enough proof to stake his claim for the record.

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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