Fake Everest summit: Nepal bans 2 climbers

Nepal’s Department of Tourism announces verdict after six months of investigation; ban for six years, expedition company fined

The Department of Tourism (DoT) of Nepal on Wednesday released its official statement following a six-month investigation into the fake Mt Everest summit by two Indian mountaineers.

The mountaineers from Haryana — Narendra Singh Yadav and Seema Rani Goswami — had claimed to have summited Mt Everest on May 20, 2016. They had even submitted fake proofs to claim their Summit Certificates, which now stands cancelled. mid-day had reported on August 28 last year on allegations their claim was fake.

The DoT has banned the duo from climbing in Nepal for six years. A ban of similar duration has also been imposed on Naba Kumar Phukon, a mountaineer from Assam who was the expedition leader then and who was the first to raise the stink on Yadav’s fake Everest summit.

The DoT has also slapped a fine of 50,000 Nepali rupees on the Nepal’s expedition company Seven Summits and 10,000 Nepali rupees on its member Dawa Sherpa for accepting the fake proof and issuing the certificate to Yadav and Goswami. The liaison officer, Pawan Kumar Ghimre, has been given strict warning for not obeying the responsibility.

As proof, Yadav had provided photo-shopped images of his Everest summit. Based on this and other summits to Mt Kilimanajro and Mt Elbarus (Russia), Yadav was to be honoured with the highest award in mountaineering — Tenzing Norgay award, in August 2020. But, it was revoked by the Indian government and the Sports Ministry after his Everest summit came under the scanner.

After almost four years, Phukon had gone on record to admit that Yadav had not summited Mt Everest. On the ban, Phukon said from Assam, “I was only an expedition leader on paper and I had no responsibility.”

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