Sanu Sherpa came to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, in 2015 to make a simple living. Little did he know at the time that seventeen years later he would break a world record, scaling the world’s 14 highest peaks twice.

On Thursday, the former sheep herder hailing from the eastern district of Sankhuwasabha scaled the Gasherbrum II in Pakistan, the 13th highest peak in the world. With this, he became the only man to summit all the 14 highest peaks twice. 

His journey in the mountaineering world started in 2005 when he was hired as a porter. Although the job involves immense risks in Nepal, people working in this industry are respected and well paid. 

His son Nang Norbu said, “Good income, good clothes and good food” attracted his father. “A climbing Sherpa in a remote village used to be a hero.” 

His ambition rose a year later in 2007 when he, along with two other colleagues, successfully guided a group of 19 Korean nationals to Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world at 8,188 meters. Since then, he has never looked back. 

He climbed Everest, the world's highest peak (8848m), seven times. K2 (8611 m), twice, and others also.  By 2019, he had completed the single climb of eight thounsanders, a collective term used for all the 14 highest peaks. 

In 2011, Mingma Sherpa of Nepal became the first man in the world to climb all 14 peaks. Later, Mirmal Purja, another Nepali, made another record, climbing all 14 peaks in a record six months and six days time.

“It’s indeed a great achievement…Sanu did it in just 17 years. It’s difficult to climb the world's highest 14 peaks,” said Mingma Sherpa, who now runs the country's largest expedition company. “He did it twice. To sum it up, he has simply made us proud.”

(SAM)