Government has decided to award three personalities for their contribution on mountain tourism on the occasion of Everest Day on Tuesday.

According to Tourism Ministry officials, mountaineering guides Kami Rita Sherpa and Lhakpa Sherpa will be honoured with prestigious Sagarmatha Award. Similarly, Captain Siddhartha Gurung, a high-attitude rescue pilot, will also be honoured with the award.

Kami Rita has summited Everest for a record 22nd time while Lhakpa has reached atop the Everest for nine times, most by any women in the world.

The government has been celebrating Everest Day on May 29, the day when Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa become the first explorers to reach the summit of Everest in 1953.