The Nepal Weekly 
February 4, 2025
Kanchha Sherpa, the only surviving member of the team that first scaled Mt. Everest, has been awarded the ‘Everest Tourism Lifetime Achievement Award, 2025.’
Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey presented the award to Sherpa in recognition of his contributions to the tourism industry, according to Satyakala Tamang Lama, chairperson of the ‘AMS Music and Management Pvt. Ltd.’ that distributed the award. Sherpa was honoured with a purse of Rs 51,151, a rosary and a certificate. “Climate change has a huge impact in the Himalayan region, and it is necessary for everyone to unite to minimise its damage,” remarked Sherpa after receiving the award.
The ‘Everest Tourism Awards, 2025’ ceremony also recognised Qatari Princess Sheikh Asma Al Thani, who climbed Mount Lhotse and Mount Manaslu.
Rajendra Bahadur Lama and Tilak Lama received awards for rafting and Himalayan River Exploration, Sunrise Paragliding for paragliding, Bikram Pandey for hot air ballooning, Avia Club Nepal Pvt. Ltd. for ultralight, Tiger Tops for wildlife, and The Last Resort for bungee jumping.
According to Phurba Gyalbo Moktan, MD of AMS Music and Management, Tshering Pandey Bote, Gelje Sherpa, Brigadier General Gunjaman Lama, and Tshering Pemba Sherpa received the rescue awards.
Similarly, the Tourism Excellence Award went to Lakpa Sonam Sherpa, the Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management, the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal, the Himalayan Rescue Association, Dr. Buddha Basanyan, Basanta Thapa, actress Nisha Adhikari, Tshering Sherpa, the Everest View Hotel, Namche, and the Hotel Soaltee.
