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Khim Lal Gautam
Khim Lal Gautam in a conference.
NationalityNepali
Occupation(s)Surveyor, civil servant
Notable workPandhrau Chuli (Non-fiction book, 2022)

Khim Lal Gautam is a Nepalese mountaineer and Chief Survey Officer in the Survey Department, Government of Nepal.[1] He is the world's only civil servant and surveyor to have scaled the Mount Everest twice.[2] Additionally, he holds the distinction of being the highest-ranking government official from the Nepal government to have summited Everest. Gautam, along with Rabin Karki, was the first surveyor to reach the top of the mountain to measure its actual altitude using state-of-the-art technology.[3]

Early life and education

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Gautam was born in the Hadaule, a small village in Nepal Kaski District where he spent his entire childhood.[4] Growing up, he was enchanted by the sight of Mt Machapuchhre, just 20 kilometers away from his home, which fueled his love for Nepal's majestic mountains.[5] Despite this, it was Mount Everest that truly captured his imagination, being famous as the tallest peak in the world.[6]

Growing up amidst this natural wonder, Gautam developed a deep love for the mountains and dreamed of exploring them one day. His childhood in Handaule was filled with adventure and wonder, as he marveled at the beauty of the Himalayas every day. This environment instilled in him a strong connection to nature and a profound respect for the Himalayas. Gautam has often cited his childhood experiences as a wellspring of inspiration for his remarkable achievements, including his groundbreaking expeditions to conquer Mount Everest.[7]

Gautam has obtained his master's degree in Geographical Information Science and Systems from the Universität Salzburg.[8]

First summit

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Khimlal on the right, Rabin in the middle, and Tshering on the left.

In 2010, Gorkhapatra daily published an advertisement inviting interested civil servants of Nepal to apply for the inaugural civil servant expedition to summit Mount Everest, as part of the Visit Nepal Year 2011 promotion program[9][failed verification]. Despite applying, he was not initially selected and ended up being an alternate candidate. However, an opportunity arose when a team member had to attend a foreign function, and he was accommodated in the team. On May 18, 2011, they successfully reached the summit at exactly 5:20 am. He was the first among his team to reach the summit.[10][11]


Second summit

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In 2017, following the 2015 Nepal Earthquake, Nepal's Survey Department organized an expedition to Mount Everest to reassess its height.[12][13] Khim Lal Gautam, chosen as the team leader for his mountaineering experience and engineering skills, led the expedition[10][14][failed verification]. The then Prime Minister of Nepal, KP Oli, bid farewell to the team on April 10, 2019.[15] After extensive preparation and acclimatization at Base Camp over 26 days, the team began their ascent on May 18.[1] However, adverse weather conditions and a shortage of oxygen bottles at the South Col posed challenges.[16] Despite these obstacles, Gautam pressed on, aware that descending would likely result in failure based on his prior Everest experience. On May 22, at 3 a.m., Gautam, along with colleague Rabin Karki and Sherpa, successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest, achieving their mission despite the difficulties faced.[17][18][19]

Book

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Pandhrau Chuli is a book that chronicles the author Khim Lal Gautam's experiences and explorations related to Mount Everest.[22][23] It delves into the emotional and geographical aspects of Everest, weaving together personal anecdotes, historical facts, and insights gained from Gautam's two ascents of the mountain.[23] The narrative captures the essence of courage, risk, and struggle encountered during Everest expeditions, while also shedding light on the broader history of Everest exploration. Through Gautam's unique perspective as both a nationalist and a private individual, the book offers readers a deep and multifaceted understanding of Everest and its significance.[22][23]

References

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  1. ^ a b Gautam, Khim Lal (17 October 2020). "Measuring Mt Everest: because it is there". Nepali Times. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Nepali surveyor's arduous journey to get to 8,848.86". Record Nepal. Bhadra Sharma. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Expedition to remeasure height of Everest". Mountain Planet. Daily Mountain. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Everest Day: A conversation with Nepal's Everest height measurement leader". Online Khabar. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  5. ^ "सगरमाथा दिवस: यी नेपाली जसले धेरैथोक गुमाएर पनि हासिल गरे सर्वोच्च शिखरको नयाँ उचाइ". BBC. 29 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Everest Day: A conversation with Nepal's Everest height measurement leader". Online Khabar. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Everest Day: A conversation with Nepal's Everest height measurement leader". Online Khabar. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Rising Stars Biography". Geospatial Media. Geospatial Media and Communications.
  9. ^ "Nepal civil servants set to conquer Mt Everest". New Indian Express. 16 May 2012.
  10. ^ a b Gautam, Khimlal. "Everest Day: A conversation with Nepal's Everest height measurement leader". Online Khabar (Interview). Interviewed by Birat Anupam.
  11. ^ Gautam, Khim Lal (10 December 2020). "Two hours on the summit". Geospatial World.
  12. ^ "Measuring Mount Everest: a proud Nepali on his dangerous mission to the top of the world". South China Morning Post. 10 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Expedition to remeasure height of Everest". Agence France Presse. 9 April 2019 – via The Himalayan Times.
  14. ^ Gautam, Khim Lal (2011). "Feelings of the first Nepali Surveyor on top of Mount Everest". Nepalese Journal of Geoinformatics. 10 (2011): 48. doi:10.3126/njg.v10i0.23192. S2CID 239297013.
  15. ^ "PM Oli bids farewell to government team assigned to measure Everest's height". Ratopati. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  16. ^ Slater, Joanna (17 October 2019). "Is Mount Everest shrinking? Nepal is on a mission to find out". Washington Post.
  17. ^ "The Quest for the Highest Point". The American Surveyor. Jodie Hartnell. 8 February 2021.
  18. ^ "How do you measure Everest? It's complicated by frostbite—and politics". National Geographic. Freddie Wilkinson. 28 September 2020. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021.
  19. ^ "Mt Everest grows by nearly a metre to new height". BBC News. 8 December 2020.
  20. ^ Gautam, Khimlal (2022). Pandhraun Chuli (1st ed.). Fine Print. p. 351. ISBN 978-9937-746-48-9. {{cite book}}: External link in |ref= (help)
  21. ^ "A firsthand account of a Nepali surveyor's Everest summits". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  22. ^ a b Lal-gautam/ "Book Launched 'Pandhrau Chuli' Written by Author and Surveyor Khim Lal Gautam". Collegenp. College Nepal. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  23. ^ a b c "A firsthand account of a Nepali surveyor's Everest summits". Kathmandu Post.
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