Kathmandu, Oct 16 (AP) Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the pioneering expedition that first conquered Mount Everest, has passed away, the Nepal Mountaineering Association announced on Thursday.
Kanchha died peacefully at the age of 92 at his home in Kapan, situated in Kathmandu district, as confirmed by Phur Gelje Sherpa, the association's president. "He passed away peacefully at his residence," said Phur Gelje Sherpa to The Associated Press, noting that Kanchha had been unwell for some time. "A chapter of mountaineering history has vanished with him." The last rites are scheduled for Monday, he added.
Kanchha Sherpa was one of the 35 members of the historic team responsible for setting New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay on the path to their successful summit of the 8,849-meter peak on May 29, 1953. He was one of three Sherpas who reached the final camp with Hillary and Tenzing before their ascent to the summit.
Born in 1933 in Namche Bazar, the gateway to Mount Everest, Kanchha began his mountaineering journey at 19 and remained active in expeditions until the age of 50. In a March 2024 interview with The Associated Press, he voiced concerns about the overcrowding and litter at the world's tallest peak, urging climbers to respect the mountain as a sacred entity. "It would be better for the mountain to reduce the number of climbers," he remarked.
Among the Sherpas, a Himalayan people renowned for their skills as mountaineering guides, Everest holds the reverence of Qomolangma, or goddess mother of the world. The community typically conducts religious rituals before embarking on their climbs.
Kanchha Sherpa is survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters, and grandchildren.
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