DARJEELING: Retracing the footsteps of Legendary mountaineer Kushang Sherpa, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling on Tuesday, flagged off “Mission Kanchenjunga to Everest - a Tribute to Kushang Sherpa and the Sherpa Community.” The expedition will make its way from the Kanchenjunga National Park in Sikkim to the summit of Mount Everest, a journey that has etched Kushang’s name forever in the world of mountaineering. Kushang Sherpa, a 59-year-old mountaineer and five-time Everester, who was the first to scale Mount Everest from all three faces, including the challenging Khangsung face, had passed away in Darjeeling on December 7, 2024.
A three-member team from HMI, including principal Col. Rajneesh Joshi and instructors Pasang Tenzing Sherpa and Thupstan Tsewang, will join a joint expedition to Mount Everest (8,848m) alongside the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and the Jawaharlal Institute of Mountaineering. Additionally, Col. Rajneesh Joshi will lead an NCC team to the Everest summit.
“My father’s first expedition was to Mount Kanchenjunga in 1989. We will start from the spot he had started from in the Kanchenjunga National Park in Sikkim and then go onto Mount Everest which he has climbed a number of times from all faces. My only prayer is that the expedition is a success and we can stand atop Mount Everest and give a befitting tribute to my father,” stated Pasang Tenzing Sherpa while talking to Millennium Post. He is an instructor with the HMI and part of the three-member team. He stated that his father had inspired him to take up mountaineering as a career. “Initially I was not interested in mountaineering. My father pushed me to join the courses. Slowly my interest grew and I have taken mountaineering up as a career. He has been my biggest inspiration,” stated the 39-year-old. Though he has gone on many expeditions, this will be his first to Mount Everest.
The flag off ceremony witnessed the presence of esteemed mountaineers including Latoo Dorjee and Jamling Tenzing Norgay. Pinky Sherpa, wife of Kushang Sherpa handed over the ceremonial ice axe to Col. Rajneesh Joshi, principal of HMI, marking the formal commencement of the expedition.
“‘Mission Kanchenjunga to Everest’ is more than a test of endurance; it is a journey of remembrance, respect, and inspiration,” said Col. Rajneesh Joshi. He added that the mission is not just an expedition but a movement to honour the legacy of Kushang Sherpa, a name synonymous with resilience and excellence in mountaineering.