- Saturday, 30 May 2026
Kathmandu, May 30: The Nepali edition of ‘Sherpa-The True Heroes of the Himalayas’, a book highlighting the contributions of the Sherpa community to mountaineering, was launched here on Saturday.
Written by Indian author and mountaineer Umesh Zirpe, the book explores the history, culture and lifestyle of the Sherpa people and their community.
Speaking at the book-unveiling ceremony, Mingma David Sherpa, a renowned mountaineer and also member of the House of Representatives (HoR), acknowledged the ‘pivotal’ role of the Sherpa community in introducing Nepal to the world through its outsized contributions to mountain expedition. He noted that the book seeks to debunk the narrow perception of Sherpas as merely guides or porters in mountaineering history.
“The book, instead, highlights their courage, compassion and dedication to society and penchant for high-altitude climbing.”
Also speaking in the event, Ang Tshering Sherpa, former President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, said that the Sherpa community has been intrinsically linked with the Himalayas throughout the history.
Sherpa, who himself belongs to the highlander Sherpa community, proudly mentioned that the Sherpas have helped promote both Nepal and its mountains on the global stage. He asserted, “The Sherpas have made significant contributions to the growth of the country’s tourism industry.”
Likewise, Lakpa Sherpa, the General-Secretary of the Nepal Sherpa Association, underscored the importance of presenting any communities histories with sensitivity and factual accuracy.
Writer Zirpe shared that the book, originally penned in the Marathi language some four years ago, has already been published in English before its Nepali edition was released. Describing the Sherpas as the ‘lifeline of the Himalayas’, he commended their remarkable contributes to mountaineering.
Kumbharaj Rai, a journalist with the Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) and the translator of the Nepali edition of ‘Sherpa-The True Heroes of the Himalayas’ said that the Himalayas and Sherpas are ‘inseparable’.
He lauded the role of the Sherpa community in bringing international recognition to Nepal through tourism promotion and mountaineering feats.
The book features accounts of several prominent and pioneer Sherpa mountaineers, including Wangchu, Sonam, Lakpa Norbu, highest Everest summiteer; Kami Rita Sherpa, Lakhpa Phuti Sherpa, Pemba Gyaljen among others. The book also examines the evolving global perception towards the Sherpa community.
It also touches on their social, economic, political and environmental perspectives, alongside their enduring role in the world of mountaineering. Sherpas are among the country’s 142 recorded caste and ethnic groups and their population, as put by the 2023 census, stands at 117,896, accounting for approximately 0.45 per cent of Nepal’s total population.
Sherpas primarily reside in the high Himalayan regions of northeastern Nepal, particularly in Solukhumbu district, home to the highest mountain in the world-Sagarmatha (Mt Everest).
Despite their relatively small population, they have earned global recognition for their exceptional contributions to mountaineering, high-altitude guiding and the promotion of Nepal’s mountain tourism industry. —
