On the occasion of the 72nd International Sagarmatha Day, Nepali authors Ankit Babu Adhikari and Pradeep Bashyal were conferred the prestigious Tenzing-Hillary (Research and Investigation) Award by the government of Nepal. The award, presented by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, celebrates their narrative non-fiction, Sherpa: Stories of Life and Death from the Forgotten Guardians of Everest, a book widely acclaimed for its contribution to 'redefining' the narrative around the Sherpa community's indispensable role in mountaineering in Nepal and beyond. Here's why May the 4th is celebrated as Star Wars Day across the galaxy Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with a free concert for more than 2 million fans Published in 2022 by Octopus/Hachette UK, the book places the Sherpa people at the heart of the Everest story, a perspective long overshadowed by foreign narratives. Written by Adhikari, a former journalist, researcher and musician, and Bashyal, a seasoned BBC journalist, the book delves into the lives, struggles, and triumphs of the Sherpa community. The book's literary significance attracted global attention when it became the first Nepali-authored book to be shortlisted for the 2023 Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature, often dubbed the "Booker of mountaineering literature." "Through Sherpa, we've tried to take our readers into the heads and homes of a community that lives on the edge of life and death," Adhikari said, after receiving the Tenzing-Hillary Award. "This award means that we have been successful in our purpose, with more responsibilities ahead." The book chronicles the Sherpa community's journey across five decades. It characterizes Sherpas from Khumbu, Rolwaling, and Makalu valleys, as well as Darjeeling in India, portraying their culture, resilience, and the delicate balance between life and death on the roof of the world, and other mountains beyond. "We wanted to tell the story of the Sherpas not as mere footnotes in Everest's history, but as the true guardians whose courage and culture have shaped the mountain's legacy," Bashyal said. "We are glad that our stories have been recognized as having contributed to honoring their legacy." The book has garnered national and international praise for its "authentic" and "compelling" narrative. The UK's The Times Literary Supplement hailed it as "the first English-language book devoted to these remarkable people," while The Spectator noted, "Sherpas may once have been the dogsbodies in other people's adventures but today they are the heroes – and, increasingly, heroines – of their own story." India's The Hindu urged readers to "spare a thought for the one that made it possible" when celebrating Everest summits, emphasizing the Sherpa's pivotal role. Other reviews – The Telegraph (India) calling it "lives of heroes" and Dawn (Pakistan) praising its behind-the-scenes insight – underscore the book's global impact. Similarly, The Kathmandu Post described it as "brilliantly portrayed a moving human side of people performing the world's deadliest job," while Nepali Times noted its effort to portray "the lives, dreams, and destinies" of the Sherpa community. Annapurna Post likened each chapter to "a documentary film," and Onlinekhabar.com called it a "great history lesson for both Nepalis and foreigners." The authors also earned a spot in Onlinekhabar.com's list of Nepal's 40 influential youth under the age of 40 years (40under40) in 2024. The book has also been published in Italian (Sherpa: I Custodi Dell'Everest) and Czech (Šerpové – Příběhy skutečných vládců Everestu). A Nepali translation is slated for release in 2026.