BMD

Notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic, the initial months of 2021 have become quite promising for Nepal as Nepali climbers have set new records on mountaineering by climbing the world's two technically difficult mountains - Mt. K2 and Mt. Annapurna I.
It was January 16 when a team of 10 Nepali male climbers conquered Mt. K2 (8,611m), giving a big surprise to the world. The climbers created history by reaching the summit of the world’s second tallest mountain in winter. No one had ever achieved this feat in the adverse winter season. With such an unprecedented accomplishment, Nepal has now been in the global spotlight.
The Nepali climbers have proven the fact that they are capable of making even impossible things possible. The country has received a lot of coverage in the international media because of that event.
Six Nepali female climbers have also made almost similar achievement last week when they scaled Mt. Annapurna I. They have now become the first Nepali women to climb the 8,091-metre mountain successfully. Needless to say, this is a rare attainment for them as well as other Nepali women. This is also very significant for the country.
It was a coincidence that the brave women mountaineers made it to the summit of Mt. Annapurna on April 16 (exactly three months after the historic K2 conquest by 10 Nepali climbers).
The Nepali women climbers were among 68 who reached atop Mt. Annapurna I. It was the highest number of climbers to make it to the summit in a single day. More than 40 climbers from home and abroad have so far received permits to climb Mt. Annapurna alone for this season. Several climbers who reached the top of the mountain on April 16 also included high altitude mountain guides for whom permits are not issued.
It was also this year's first successful mountaineering expedition in Nepal. There were no mountaineering expeditions in the country last year owing to the global public health crisis.
Mountaineers from across the world consider Mt. Annapurna I as one of the most difficult mountains to scale because of its tremendous steep south face. It is very challenging for climbers to ascend the 3,000-metre rock wall there.
The successful climbers include Purnima Shrestha, Dawa Yangjung, Dabhuti Sherpa, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, Sharmila Tamang and Maya Sherpa. No women had reached the summit of Mt. Annapurna I after two women from the United States of America scaled it in 1978. A photojournalist by profession, Purnima climbed Sagarmatha in 2018. She was hell-bent on reaching the summit of Mt. Annapurna I.
Maya Sherpa, vice-president of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), aims to climb all the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 metres. Having started her mountaineering career in 2003, she had already climbed five peaks. She made it to the summit of Sagarmatha for three times.
Meanwhile, Indian woman climber Priyanka Mangesh Mohite was also among the climbers to reach the summit of Mt. Annapurna I. With her ascent of the peak, she has become the first Indian woman to climb this peak. The Department of Tourism (DoT) under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has already issued permits to more than 625 mountaineers to attempt 16 different peaks for this spring.
Several teams are now in the Khumbu Region to climb Sagarmatha and some other peaks. Bahraini Prince Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa is leading one of the high-profile expeditions to Sagarmatha this season. Some more new records on mountaineering are awaited.