Nepal, Oct 17 : Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the team that first successfully summited Mount Everest in 1953, passed away at the age of 89 on Thursday at his home in Kapan, Kathmandu. He had been unwell for some time, according to Phur Gelje Sherpa, President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA).
“With his passing, there are no longer any surviving members of that legendary team of climbers, which is a great loss for the entire mountaineering community,” Gelje Sherpa said. Kanchha Sherpa’s last rites are scheduled for October 20, following Sherpa tradition.
Born in March 1937, Kanchha was only 17 when he joined the 35 member expedition led by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay that conquered the 8,848.86-metre peak on May 29, 1953. He was among three Sherpas who reached the final camp before the summit, playing a crucial role in the historic ascent.
In later years, Kanchha worked as a high altitude guide and voiced concerns about overcrowding and pollution on Mount Everest. During a 2024 interview, he urged climbers and tourists to respect the mountain, which Sherpas revere as the Mother Goddess. He also lamented that the Sherpas’ contributions to the 1953 expedition had not been widely recognised.
Kanchha Sherpa is survived by two sons, two daughters, and their children. The Nepal Mountaineering Association remembered him as a “historic and legendary figure,” stating, “With his passing, a chapter of mountaineering history has vanished. The Nepali tourism industry mourns the loss of this irreplaceable legend.”
In a message shared on X, the NMA wrote: “Heartfelt condolences! The Nepali tourism industry will miss you dearly. Rest in eternal peace, legend.”