By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Feb. 25: Nepali Army Headquarters on Wednesday felicitated a 10-member Nepali expedition team that summited Mt. K2, world's second highest mountain peak, for setting world record by climbing the peak in winter season.
According to Nirmal Purja Pun Magar, one of the team members and former member of the UK's special boat services, the team decided to set the world record at a freezing temperature of minus 65 degrees Celsius so that they could make their country well-known in the world. Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) General Purna Chandra Thapa felicitated the team members with the certificates and other trophies.
Delivering congratulatory message to the team, Thapa said that the expedition team was able to achieve the feat because of the immense sacrifice made by its every member keeping aside personal interests.
"The team spirit, driven by the feelings of nationalism and underpinned by the slogan of 'nation first' is highly appreciated by all Nepalis, especially the youths," he said.
"The Nepali Army would like to congratulate and thank the team members for successfully summiting the mountain that too in the winter season, when the mountain was never before summited owing to inclement weather and geographical challenges," Thapa said. Mt. K2 is just some 200 metres shorter than Mt. Everest.
Although dozens of other climbers had attempted to scale the 8,611-metre-tall mountain this winter hoping to achieve the same feat, but in vain.
The team reached the summit on January 16, 2021.
According to Purja, Nepali climbers were initially divided into three teams but they merged into one later on, because of which they were able to make the historic achievement. In total, four team totalling 60 members had tried to summit the peak at the start.
Mt. K2 is nicknamed “the savage mountain” by the US mountaineer George Bell, who attempted to summit the mountain in 1953, but almost slipped from the climb owing to its deadly nature.
The team members include -- Nirmal Purja, the team leader, Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, Gelje Sherpa, Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, Mingma Tenzi Sherpa, Dawa Temba Sherpa, Pem Chhiri Sherpa, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Dawa Tenjing Sherpa, and Sona Sherpa.