Pasang Lhamu Sherpa

Pasang Lhamu Sherpa (Sherpa: ; Nepali: ; 10 December 1961 – 22 April 1993) was a Nepali mountaineer and trekking guide who became the first Nepali woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. She reached the summit on 22 April 1993 by the South Col and Southeast Ridge, but died during the descent.

Her achievement made her a prominent national figure in Nepal. She was posthumously awarded the Nepal Tara (Star of Nepal), and was later recognised by the Government of Nepal as a National Luminary.

Early life

Pasang Lhamu Sherpa was born in Solukhumbu District into a mountaineering family. The Pasang Lhamu Mountaineering Foundation identifies her birthplace as Surke, in what is now Ward No. 2 of Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality.

Her father, Phurba Kitar Sherpa, was involved in mountaineering, and Pasang began accompanying him on treks while she was a teenager. She subsequently worked as a trekking guide.

Climbing career

Pasang Lhamu became involved in climbing from her teenage years. In 1987 she climbed Pisang Peak and Yala Peak, and in 1990 she climbed Mont Blanc in France.

She attempted Mount Everest three times before her successful ascent. Her previous attempts took place in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

1993 Everest expedition

In 1993, Pasang Lhamu and her husband organised the Nepalese Women's Sagarmatha Expedition with the aim of putting the first Nepali woman on the summit of Everest.

The Pasang Lhamu Mountaineering Foundation gives a partly different list, naming Sonam Tshering Sherpa, Lhakpa Noru Sherpa, Pemba Dorje Sherpa and Dawa Tashi Sherpa among the climbers accompanying her.

Lithuanian mountaineer Vladas Vitkauskas, who reached the summit of Everest on 10 May 1993, later took part in the operation to transport Pasang Lhamu's body down the mountain.

Honours and legacy

Pasang Lhamu was extensively commemorated in Nepal after her death. She became the first woman to receive the Nepal Tara (Star of Nepal) from the King of Nepal. The National Youth Foundation also conferred its 1993–94 Youth Excellence Award on her. The American Alpine Club lists the summit at , while the Pasang Lhamu Mountaineering Foundation gives a height of .

The Pasang Lhamu Memorial Hall was established in Dhulabari, Jhapa District, and the 117 km Trishuli–Dhunche road was named the Pasang Lhamu Highway in her honour. Alison Levine was among its executive producers.

Svendsen and the production team developed the project over roughly a decade. The documentary recounts Pasang Lhamu's efforts to become the first Nepali woman to summit Everest, placing her expeditions in the context of gender inequality, Sherpa identity and Nepal's political changes.

It received positive reviews from critics, including Film Threat and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists. It also received audience awards at festivals including the Nevada City Film Festival, BendFilm Festival and Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival.

The name was approved by the IAU on 29 July 2024. The crater has a diameter of approximately and is centred at 85.92° south latitude and 1.62° west longitude.