Nepal ban three Indians for a period of six years.
The climbers claimed to reach top of Mt Everest in 2016.
This outraged Indian mountaineers and prompted an inquiry
Nepal has revoked two Indian climber’s Mount Everest summit certificate in an attempt to distort their ascent in 2016. Also banned them from climbing in the country for six years, officials said Wednesday.
Narender Singh Yadav and Siema Rani Goswami say they reached the top of the world’s highest mountain in 2016. The Nepal Tourism Ministry aslo verified their claim at the time.
But anger broke out among Indian climbers after Yadav inducted into the prestigious Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award last year, sparking an investigation.
Tourism ministry spokesman Tara Nat Adhikari told media that investigations with other climbers found that the two “never made it to the top.”
“They cannot provide any proof of their ascent to the top. Also they can’t even provide a acceptable photo of themselves at the top,” said Adhikari.
The two climbers and their team leader Naba Kumar Pucon have banned from climbing Nepal’s mountains for six years, starting retroactively in May 2016.
The seven summits organized the expedition were fined Rs 50,000 (US $ 450). Also the Sherpa supporters fined Rs 10,000 (US $ 85).
Standing at top of 8,848 meters mountain adds stars to the climber’s resume and many continue to build careers as motivational speakers and writers.
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The current system requires photos and reports from team leaders and government liaison officers at the base camp, but is open to attempted counterfeiting.
Nepal also ban other Indians before
In 2016, another Indian couple was banned for 10 years after faking photos they showed on Everest.
The couple – both police officers – fly themselves and their flags in this photo taken by another Indian climber, Satyarup Sidhanta, above.
Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 highest peaks, and foreign climbers are the main source of income.
The pandemic hit just before the busiest climbing season started last year and shut down industries. Now the climbers are slowly returning to the country.
After Nepal ban three Indians… Yadav, Goswami and Pucon have not yet made public comment after the announcement on Wednesday.
Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks said, “This is a good decision by government and a warning to all others. Then everyone said they had reached the summit, so we reported it. But the mountaineering industry is based on trust and we have to protect it.”
