May 23 became more than just another summit day on Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) for a Gurkha rifleman serving in the UK’s special forces and a legendary Nepali Sherpa guide. At 8,848 metres above sea level, amid freezing winds and thin Himalayan air, Rifleman Bijaya Rana received a promotion that few soldiers in history could ever imagine, being officially promoted on the summit of the world’s highest mountain.
Pasang Kidar Sherpa’s Unique Mission
The remarkable ceremony was led by Pasang Kidar Sherpa, an IFMGA/NNMGA-certified mountain guide from Rolwaling and one of Nepal’s most accomplished climbers. Acting on a special mission assigned by British Army Major Joe Adamson, Pasang Kidar was tasked with guiding Rifleman Bijaya Rana safely to the summit of Everest before officially conferring his promotion there.
The Everest expedition team, consisting of eight British Army special forces personnel and 14 Nepali Sherpa climbers, departed from the South Col for their summit push at 7:04 pm on May 22. However, Pasang Kidar and Rifleman Rana intentionally started their ascent about half an hour later at 7:34 pm. “I left the South Col at 7:34 pm and reached the summit at 3:06 am on May 23 along with Rgr Rana,” Pasang Kidar said, describing the climb as “an awesome and honoured climb.”
Promotion Ceremony at 8,848 Metres
At exactly 3:06 am, beneath a clear star-filled Himalayan sky, Pasang Kidar and Rifleman Rana stood atop Mount Everest. There, Pasang Kidar presented the Lance Corporal insignia to Rana and formally pinned the rank on his jacket, symbolically acting in the role of a commanding officer. “Once I took Rana to the summit, I handed over the insignia of promotion to Rifleman Rana,” Pasang Kidar recalled. “He got officially promoted.”
Only after the ceremony concluded did the remaining members of the British special forces team and Sherpa climbers arrive at the summit. The expedition included Maj Joe Adamson (Expedition Leader), Maj Kate Thompson (Chief Medical Officer), Lt Col Raj Joshi, Capt Jacob Sargent, WO2 Avtar Gill, SSgt Ryan McGregor, Sgt Silas Simpson, Sgt Vince Sulaiman, Cpl Will Goddard, LCpl Chris White, LCpl Kishor Thapa, Sgt Ali Holman, along with the 14 Nepali Sherpa climbers.
Pride for Gurkhas and Sherpa Climbers
Pasang Kidar expressed immense pride in the historic achievement and the respect shown toward Nepali Gurkhas and Sherpa climbers by the British Army. “I feel that the UK has a great honour to Nepali Sherpa climbers and Gurkhas along with Gurkha Rifleman serving for her country,” he said with pride, before jokingly adding, “I acted as their boss in the team when we reached the summit.”
Now promoted to Lance Corporal, Bijaya Rana, originally from Kaski district, has served in the British Army for more than a decade. Pasang Kidar praised Rana’s climbing abilities, saying, “Rana was so young and strong a climber, and so were the other team members. It was a historic moment for all, the UK, the special forces, and Nepali Sherpa climbers.”
Pasang Kidar’s Mountaineering Legacy
Pasang Kidar Sherpa is already widely respected in the international mountaineering community for his achievements. On October 13, 2024, he and American climber Danika Gilbert were nominated for the prestigious Piolets d’Or award after successfully establishing a new alpine-style route on Beding Go (6,125m) in the Gaurishankar range along the Nepal-Tibet border. He is also one of only 14 IFMGA-certified guides from the Rolwaling Valley and operates Khangri Treks.
A Historic Everest Expedition
Mingma Wongchu Sherpa, Managing Director of Himalayan Sherpa Adventure, the company that exclusively managed the British Army Everest Expedition this season, described the event as a historic milestone in Everest climbing. “They all created a history in Everest climbing,” he said.
Following the successful expedition, the team returned to Kathmandu on May 26, where British Ambassador to Nepal Rob Fenn hosted them at his residence. “The team are back in Kathmandu where they had an opportunity to meet and share their experience with His Majesty’s Ambassador Fenn at the British Embassy Kathmandu,” Mingma Wongchu said.
For most climbers, merely surviving Everest is considered an achievement. But for Lance Corporal Bijaya Rana, the summit of Mount Everest became the site of a once-in-a-lifetime military honour, receiving his promotion on the highest point on Earth from a Sherpa guide who, for one unforgettable moment, became his commanding officer.
