May 1: Veteran climber Kamirita Sherpa, who holds the world record for climbing Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) 28 times, is preparing to set a new record. The 54-year-old Sherpa who climbed the world's highest peak for the 28th time last year is set for the 29th ascent this year.    
He has already reached the Everest Base Camp in this connection. "This year, I have set out for climbing Sagarmatha for the 29th time. I have no plan of climbing Sagarmatha for any specific number of times. Let me ascend towards the summit and see how far I can," said Kamirita, who has reached the Base Camp via Lukla and Namche. He had set out for the expedition from Kathmandu a week back as part of the Spring Season Everest expedition.    
He is accompanying a mountaineering expedition team comprising about 28 climbers. The expedition is managed by Seven Summit Treks Pvt Ltd.    
Mingma Sherpa, chairperson of Seven Summit Treks, said that Kamirita has reached the Everest Base Camp for his 29th ascent of Sagarmatha through his company.    
According to Mingma, most of the climbers have reached the Base Camp and they are waiting for appropriate time for climbing Sagarmatha.    
Eighty mountaineers have gone for ascending Sagarmatha via the Seven Summit Treks alone this time.    
Kamirita has been climbing Sagarmatha as the guide for the climbers. He will set a new record by breaking his own previous record, if he succeeds in climbing Sagarmatha this time.    
Kamirita is a record-setter climber for the highest number of ascents on the world's tallest peak in the 71-year-long history of Sagarmatha climbing.    
Pasang Dawa Sherpa, also from Solukhumbu, had climbed Sagarmatha for the 27th time last year. But, it is not confirmed whether he will be climbing Sagarmatha this time.    
"I am going to climb Sagarmatha, I have no other purpose," Kamirita said, "I have only continued the profession of mountain climbing, I did not climb for a record."  -- RSS