Appa Sherpa, from a village at the base of the world’s highest peak, topped out in the early hours of the morning, the head of Nepal’s Mountaineering Association said.
“Appa Sherpa summitted Everest at 5:45 am (local time) this morning. He has set the new world record as it is the 18th time he has got to the top,” Ang Tsering Sherpa said.
Appa’s closest competition — trailing at 15 ascents — is the 42-year-old Nepalese climber Chhewang Nima.
Appa Sherpa, known as one of Nepal’s “Super Sherpas” — hardened climbers with almost superhuman stamina — was among 37 climbers taking advantage of good weather to reach the summit on Thursday. Twenty-seven others reached the peak on Wednesday. Ten of them were Indians, including two women.
The mountaineers, including an IPS officer, belong to the Union home ministry, an official release said.
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and home minister Shivraj Patil congratulated the team on its success, it added.
Twenty-two Indians have summitted the world’s highest peak in two days as part of 12 different expeditions.
Kalpana Dash of Orissa, India, reached the summit on Tuesday leading a Friendship Everest Expedition. She also became the first Indian to scale the world’s highest peak this season.
Twelve Indian climbers, all members of Sana Expedition, scaled Everest on Tuesday. Nine Indian climbers from another expedition, Snow Lion from the Indian Army, also reached the top.
Kalpana, 38, made it after two failed attempts. According to her family and information received from Arun Trek and Expedition Training, Nepal, Kalpana reached the peak at 11.30 am on Wednesday.
Kalpana persevered to scale the Everest after abortive attempts in 2004 and 2006.
She had left Dhenkanal on March 5, saying this time she will return home only after scaling the Everest. As news reached the district, her family members were delighted. Sweets were distributed amongst local people and well wishers who thronged her Kumbharasahi residence.
Another Indian summiteer is a policeman from Jammu and Kashmir. Constable Ram Singh accomplished the mission and unfurled the flag of Jammu and Kashmir police on the summit State’s director general of police, Kuldeep Khoda said, “It is a moment of honour and pride not only for Jammu and Kashmir police but for the whole state.” Ram Singh was part of the Indian Mount Everest North Col. Expedition sponsored by the Union home ministry.
This spring’s other aspiring recordbreakers include adventurer Yuichiro Miura, 75, of Japan and Nepalese Min Bahadur Sherchan, 73, who are vying to become the oldest person to conquer Everest.