Guinness honors climber ‘Snow Leopard’ for Mt. Everest feats

World record holder Ang Rita Sherpa poses for photograph with his Guinness World Records certificate in Kathmandu on Monday. THE KATHMANDU POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

The name of Ang Rita Sherpa has finally been engraved in the Guinness World Records as the only person in the globe to have reached the summit of Mt. Everest 10 times without the use of supplemental oxygen. Dubbed ‘The Snow Leopard’, Sherpa stood atop the world’s tallest peak for the tenth time in 1996. He was handed over the Guinness certificate amidst an event organized by the Rookmangud Katawal Trust on Monday.

The trust set up by former chief of the army staff Rookmangud Katawal also honored Sherpa for the extraordinary achievement. The trust also honored various other Nepali Everesters holding world records in different categories and for making contributions to the country’s mountaineering industry. Among those felicitated were Kami Rita Sherpa. Kami has now joined the club of mountaineers who have reached atop Mt Everest for a record 21 times. Kami achieved this feat in the spring climbing season, which recently concluded. This record is also held by Appa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa.

The trust also felicitated Pemba Dorje Sherpa, who reached the top of Mt Everest in record 8 hours and 10 minutes. Other personalities honoured were: Temba Tsheri Sherpa, who became the youngest person to climb Everest at the age of 16 on May 23, 2001, and Phurba Tenzing Sherpa, who at the age of 24 climbed Everest for the ninth time.

Chief of the Army Staff Rajendra Chhetri handed over tokens of appreciation to all the climbers.