Airport to be named after Hillary Tenzing: Nepal

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Agencies

Posted online: Tuesday , January 15, 2008 at 11:19:12
Updated: Tuesday , January 15, 2008 at 11:34:32

Kathmandu, January 15: Lukla Airport, the gateway to the world's highest peak Mt. Everest will be re-christened as Hillary-Tenzing Airport.

"Nepal government is considering to name the airport situated at an altitude of 2,800 meter after the twin summiteers," said Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Prithvi Subba Gurung while addressing a memorial organised in honour of the first Everest co-summiteer Sir Edmund Hillary in Kathmandu on Monday.

Tenzing Norgey, a Nepali Sherpa who later took Indian citizenship, and New Zealander Hillary were the first persons, who climbed the world's tallest peak Everest (8,848 mts) in May 29, 1953 setting a record in the history of mountaineering.

Hillary had taken initiative to construct the Lukla Airport way back in 1965 according to Ang Tshering Sherpa, chairman of Nepal Mountaineering Association.

The construction of Lukla Airport has made expedition to the Everest convenient and thousands of summiteers were lured to the summit.

Hillary had made valuable contributions in educational, social and economic development of Sagarmatha region and helped to uplift the life of the Sherpas, whose main profession is to facilitate the mountaineers.

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