The French Embassy in Nepal and the Alliance Francaise Katmandou launched the Nepali translation of ‘Annapurna Premier 8000’ in the presence of Dhan Raj Acharya, mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City; Ms Purnima Shrestha, mountaineer and the goodwill ambassador for the 75th anniversary of Annapurna’s first ascent; Chhiring Doma Lama, spouse of the late Sonam Walung Sherpa, the first Nepali to climb Annapurna in 1977; Phur Gelje Sherpa, president–Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA); Tej Gurung, chairperson–Maurice Herzog Trekking Trail; Kunda Dixit, publisher–Nepali Times; and Virginie Corteval, the French ambassador to Nepal.

The translation of the Nepali edition was financed by the French Embassy and published by Fine Print.

‘Annapurna Premier 8000’ was written by Maurice Herzog, leader of the historic 1950 Franco-Nepali expedition that achieved the first ascent of Annapurna, making it the very first ascent of an 8000m peak.

On the occasion, Ambassador Corteval expressed hope that Nepali readers would “enjoy discovering this unique story of an adventure with phenomenal resonance, a unique moment in the history of mountaineering and which forged the friendship that still unites Nepal and France today.”

Also at the event, the book’s translators and French teachers at the Alliance française, Ashok Shakya and Rijendra Shrestha, read selected passages from the Nepali translation. Purnima Shrestha and Kunda Dixit participated in a discussion that explored several facets of mountaineering, including Annapurna.

The event also honoured the late Sonam Walung Sherpa, recognised posthumously.