Lamjung Celebrates 76th Annapurna Expedition Day, Honors Three Distinguished Mountaineers

Lamjung — On the occasion of the 76th Annapurna Himalayan Expedition Day, three prominent mountaineers were honored during a tourism promotion program held in Lamjung’s Dordi Rural Municipality.

The event, conducted on Jestha 20 and 21, recognized accomplished climbers for their significant contributions to Nepal’s mountaineering and adventure tourism sector. The awardees were celebrated in the presence of the Gandaki Province Minister for Industry and Tourism, Yashoda Rimal, who formally presented the honors.

According to Dordi Rural Municipality Chair Yuvaraj Adhikari, the honored climbers included Purnima Shrestha from Gorkha, Narendra Shahi (Naren Shahi Thakuri) of Raina Municipality, Lamjung, and Man Raj Gurung.

The program was jointly organized by the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) Gandaki in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Tourism of Gandaki Province, Nepal Tourism Board, Dordi Rural Municipality, and the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), as informed by TAAN Gandaki Chair Krishna Prasad Acharya.

Notable Achievements of the Honorees

Purnima Shrestha is widely recognized as one of Nepal’s emerging leading female climbers. Originally a photojournalist from Aarughat, Gorkha, she developed a passion for mountaineering after covering the Everest Marathon in 2017. She successfully summited Mount Everest five times in 2025 and again in 2026, establishing herself as a leading figure in Nepal’s mountaineering community.

Narendra Shahi (Naren Shahi Thakuri) has been active in Nepal’s mountaineering sector for over two decades. Born in Raina Municipality, Lamjung, he is known as an international mountain guide, trainer, and rescue expert. He began his climbing journey with the ascent of Mera Peak in 2005 and has successfully summited Everest five times between 2017 and 2024.

Man Raj Gurung, often described as a “scholarly climber,” has become an inspirational figure in Nepal’s adventure tourism sector. Born in Pyarjung, Raina Municipality, Lamjung, he successfully summited Mount Everest on May 15, 2025, marking a milestone in his 15-year mountaineering journey. He is also an advocate for integrating mountaineering and adventure tourism education into secondary-level curricula.
Photo : Subash Thapa