Babu Chiri Sherpa
Babu Chiri Sherpa was a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer. He reached the summit of Mount Everest ten times. He held two world records on Everest. He spent 21 hours on the summit of Mount Everest without auxiliary oxygen, a record which still stands, and he made the fastest ascent of Mount Everest in 16 hours and 56 minutes. An accomplished mountaineer, his life dream was to build schools in Nepal.
Early life
Babu Chiri Sherpa was born in Taksindu, a small Sherpa village near Salleri, the headquarters of Solukhumbu District in Nepal. As a child he spent most of his time helping his parents on their farm. Babu Chiri received no formal education as no schools existed in his or surrounding villages.Babu had taught himself to read, and his life dream was to build a school.
As a boy, Chiri was amazed by the mountains that surrounded his village. Many Sherpas support themselves by guiding and portering in the mountains. The legend of Tenzing Norgay, and Norgay himself, influenced Chiri.
Mountaineering
He began his career as a climber at the age of 16 when he procured a job as a trekking porter. On his first portering assignment he scaled the Amphu Labtsa pass. He summited Mera Peak in four hours in 1985. Chiri eventually found work portering for Everest expeditions, and eventually reached the summit of Mount Everest ten times. In May 1999, he spent a record 21 hours on the summit without supplementary oxygen, and without sleeping.He also went on some expeditions to Cho Oyu.
Personal life and death
Babu Chiri spoke Sherpa, Nepali, English and Hindi. He traveled to Canada, China, Italy, Mexico, Pakistan and the United States.He had six daughters, four granddaughters: Michele, Amira, Sara, Jenica; and two grandsons: Chhewang and Urgen.
In 2001, Chiri signed on for his 11th Everest expedition. He was planning another bid for the summit. On 29 April, while near Camp II and apparently taking photographs, Chiri fell into a crevasse, and died.