Everest Legend Phurba Tenjing Sherpa Awarded Honorary Membership by Rotary Club of New York Queens
New York, NY – Elite mountaineer Phurba Tenjing Sherpa was honored in New York by the Rotary Club of New York Queens, which conferred honorary membership in recognition of his achievements in extreme mountaineering and social impact.
Sherpa, alongside his wife, Rojita Buddhacharya, travelled to New York to present the club with its official flag, along with a photograph capturing the moment he hoisted it atop Mount Everest on May 18 last year. The symbolic gesture underscored global connection and Rotary’s spirit of service.
Sherpa, widely regarded as one of the most accomplished high-altitude climbers of his generation, has summited Everest 17 times and holds three Guinness World Records. His career is marked by a series of groundbreaking achievements, beginning with his first Everest ascent without supplemental oxygen at just 17 years old and leading numerous historic expeditions.
Among these are landmark climbs involving diverse and often underrepresented groups: the first inclusive women Everest summiteers, the oldest summiteer at age 77, the first double-amputee Everest summiteer, the first women journalists Everest summiteers, the first individual living with HIV Everest summiteer, and climbers from varied national and cultural backgrounds. He has also guided record-setting ascents, including the fastest female summits on Everest and Manaslu.
Beyond mountaineering, Sherpa has become a prominent voice for climate justice. Having witnessed firsthand the visible effects of climate change on the Himalaya, including melting glaciers and increasing environmental risks, he advocates for greater global awareness and responsibility toward fragile mountain ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
In recognition of his contributions, Rotary Club President Karma Lama, Assistant District Governor Michael Ashkenazy, and Vice President Pasang Sherpa formally presented him with an honorary membership.
The evening celebrated not only Sherpa’s remarkable achievements but also the shared values of perseverance, inclusion, climate responsibility, and international goodwill – principles that define both his legacy and Rotary’s mission.
Sherpa is also serving as a goodwill ambassador for We Will Rise Foundation Nepal and Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park in Italy.
