Kathmandu: Three Everest summiteers from India have been felicitated at a function organised by the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu.
Krushnaa Patil, 19, from Maharashtra, Gaurav Sharma, 25 from Rajasthan and Tapi Mara, 26 from Arunachal Pradesh were among the Everest climbers who participated in Eco Everest Expedition 2009, as part of the Second International Everest Day to commemorate the first human step on the world's highest peak by Tenzing Sherpa and Edmund Hillary in 1953 May 29.
Over 100 international climbers including two dozen foreign climbers were given away medals, certificates and gift voucher on Friday. The three Indian Everest Summiteers were among the 11 Indian climbers who scaled the world's highest peak (8,848m) on May 20 and 21.
All the three Indians have set new records for India. Krushnaa Patil, a Pune girl, has become the first Indian women to scale the world's highest peak while Tapi, who reached the Everest from the base camp in 41 hours, set the record as the fastest climber from Arunachal Pradesh to reach the tallest point of the earth. Similarly, Gaurav become the first Rajasthani to climb Everest.
"I had come here to set a new world record by becoming the fastest foreign climber, but I could not do that this time", he said adding "I will try to become the faster foreign climber".