Shambu Tamang-Youngest Everest Climber in the History

Late Shambhu Tamang grew up in the small village of Risyangkhu, nestled in the mountains of Sindhupalchowk district. From an early age, he was captivated by the streams of mountaineers passing through his village on their way to tackle the mighty Himalayas. Their tales of adventure and conquest ignited a fire within the young Tamang.

In 1973, at just 17 years, 6 months and 15 days old, Shambhu achieved the unthinkable – he summited the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, as part of a mammoth 64-member Italian expedition supported by 100 Sherpas. Though he etched his name in the record books as the youngest person to stand atop Everest at that time, Shambhu’s motivations were pure. “I didn’t go for the record,” he would later reflect. “I was simply drawn to the mountain, seduced by its mystique from those early encounters.”

For nearly three decades, Tamang’s youthful record stood untouched until another Nepali prodigy, Temba Tsheri, surpassed it in 2001 at just 16 years old. But records were never Shambhu’s pursuit. His love affair with the mountains continued unabated.

In 1985, over a decade after his historic first ascent, he returned to Mount Everest’s slopes, leading expeditions up other famed peaks like Cho Oyu and Makalu along the way. When not climbing himself, he worked as a trekking guide, sharing the majesty of the Himalayas with visitors from around the world.

Recognizing a need to advocate for climbers’ rights and welfare, Tamang founded the Nepal Mountaineering Association, the nation’s preeminent alpine club, serving as an advisor well into his later years. He lobbied tirelessly to establish a welfare fund to support the often underrepresented expedition workers.

As the years passed, Shambhu witnessed firsthand the toll of climate change on his beloved mountains. He grew increasingly conscious of the need to protect this rapidly changing environment.

Tamang’s climb to greatness was finally cut short by cancer. After a valiant battle, the legendary mountaineer passed away at age 68 in a Kathmandu hospital on June 12, 2024, leaving behind a towering legacy as one of Nepal’s greatest adventurers.

The Nepal Mountaineering Association mourned the loss of their founder and advisor, a man who embodied the indomitable spirit of his homeland’s peaks. Shambhu Tamang may have departed this earth, but his impact on Nepal’s mountain culture will loom large for generations to come.