Renowned American mountaineer and longtime supporter of Nepal’s mountain tourism, Mr. Conrad Anker, has been honored with the prestigious Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah Adventure Award by the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA). The award was officially handed over by Dr. Narayan Prasad Regmi, Director General of the Department of Tourism (DoT), during a special ceremony held at the Department of Tourism in Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu.
The NMA has a long-standing tradition of recognizing individuals who have significantly contributed to mountaineering and adventure tourism in Nepal. The association has established several awards in the names of its notable contributors, including its former President Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah, Dawa Norbu Sherpa, and former Chief Advisor Dr. Harka Gurung.
Mr. Anker was selected as the recipient of this prestigious award during the 51st NMA Day celebrations last year. However, due to his unavailability on the scheduled date, the award ceremony was postponed until his visit to Nepal.
Mr. Anker has played a pivotal role in promoting Nepal’s mountain tourism and has been instrumental in developing skilled human resources in the field. One of his notable contributions is the establishment of the Khumbu Climbing School in Phortse, Solukhumbu, which provides essential training to aspiring climbers and mountain guides.
The Nepal Mountaineering Association collaborates with this initiative, and certificates issued by the school bear the official NMA logo, signifying its endorsement and support. Apart from his involvement in Nepal’s climbing education, Mr. Anker is also widely known for his role in the historic 1999 Mallory/Irvine search expedition.
This expedition was aimed at locating the remains of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, who disappeared in 1924 while attempting to summit Mount Everest. Mr. Anker played a crucial role in discovering Mallory’s body, a breakthrough in mountaineering history that shed light on one of Everest’s greatest mysteries.
During the award handover ceremony, Dr. Regmi expressed his deep gratitude for Mr. Anker’s unwavering dedication to Nepal’s mountain tourism. “We are deeply thankful for what you have done for Nepal’s mountain tourism. This is a small gesture of appreciation for your contributions,” Dr. Regmi stated. “We look forward to your continued support in furthering Nepal’s adventure tourism.”
NMA President Mr. Nima Nuru Sherpa also emphasized the importance of collaboration in developing Nepal’s mountaineering industry. “We have established a training institute to offer comprehensive mountaineering training. Our vision is to make this institute a world-leading mountaineering training center,” President Sherpa said. “We humbly request Mr. Anker to collaborate with us in this endeavor. His involvement would be a tremendous asset in enhancing Nepal’s mountaineering training programs.”
The ceremony also included the recognition of other distinguished individuals for their contributions to Nepal’s mountaineering sector. The NMA honored Mingma G. (Gyalje) Sherpa with the Dr. Harka Gurung Mountaineering Award for his achievements in high-altitude mountaineering. Additionally, Ms. Dawa Yangzum Sherpa received the Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Adventurous Women Award for her outstanding contributions to adventure tourism.
The event marked another milestone in Nepal’s mountaineering history, celebrating the individuals who have dedicated their lives to promoting adventure tourism. With strong collaborations and continued efforts from national and international figures like Mr. Conrad Anker, Nepal’s position as a leading destination for mountaineering and adventure tourism is set to strengthen even further.
