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Nepal Bids Farewell To Kancha Sherpa, The Last Living Member Of Everest’s 1953 Expedition With State Honor

The body of legendary Nepali climber Kancha Sherpa, the last living member of the first expedition to Mount Everest in 1953, is kept for final tribute at a crematorium in Kathmandu, Nepal, on October 20, 2025. Sherpa breathes his last at the age of 92 at his private residence in Kathmandu. He is a member of the expedition team of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa. He spends his final days in his ancestral home in Namche Bazaar, the gateway to Everest. Born in 1932 in Namche, Kancha Sherpa begins his mountaineering journey at the age of 19 when he runs away from home to Darjeeling in search of work. There, he meets Tenzing Norgay, who recognizes him as the son of a fellow mountaineer from the 1952 Everest expedition from Tibet. Impressed by his dedication, Tenzing helps him join Sir Edmund Hillary's 1953 expedition as one of 103 Sherpas, earning five rupees a day. Kancha Sherpa continues to work on mountaineering expeditions until 1973, before retiring at the request of his wife. He later works with trekking groups, guiding trekkers through the Himalaya without venturing to extreme altitudes. Kancha Sherpa does not reach the summit, but he plays a crucial role in the success of the expedition. He climbs as far as the last camp, currently the South Summit. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)

Photo Details

Photo ID	#12885992
Date Taken	20 October 2025
Location	N/A
Photographer	Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto
Category	Human Interest
Copyright	© 2026 NurPhoto - Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto

Related Keywords

No People Kancha Sherpa Nepali climber Mount Everest 1953 expedition Kathmandu crematorium tribute Sir Edmund Hillary Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Namche Bazaar ancestral home gateway to Everest Darjeeling work Tenzing Norgay fellow mountaineer Tibet dedication 103 Sherpas five rupees mountaineering expeditions 1973 retirement trekking groups guiding trekkers Himalaya extreme altitudes summit South Summit Subaas Shrestha NurPhoto final days private residence Namche 1932 19 years old last living member first expedition breath his last 92 years old final tribute.

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