3 Indians among 274 climbers to summit Mount Everest, new single-day record set

Three Indian mountaineers were among 274 climbers who successfully summited Mount Everest from the Nepal side on Wednesday, setting a new record for the highest number of ascents recorded in a single day. The climbers reached the 8,848.86-metre peak along with around 150 Nepalese sherpas. The three Indians identified in the record-setting group were Tulasi Reddi Palpunoori, Sandeep Are and Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal.

According to expedition officials in Nepal, the previous record for the highest number of single-day Everest ascents from the Nepal side was 223 climbers in May 2019. Officials said 502 climbers had obtained permits to climb Everest during the spring 2026 season. Expedition organisers stated that the number of successful summits could rise further as some climbers were yet to officially report their ascent to the base camp authorities.

On Thursday, another Indian climber, Lakshmikanta Mandal, also successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest. Mandal climbed the peak along with eight others, including six Nepalese sherpas, according to the expedition organiser. Separate reports also stated that climbers Vivek Shivade, Mihir Jadhav and Akhil Katkar from a Pune-based mountaineering club reached the summit with their high-altitude guides after spending nearly 50 days in the Himalayas preparing for the ascent.

The Everest climbing season also witnessed other mountaineering records this spring. Nepal’s Kami Rita Sherpa extended his own world record by climbing Mount Everest for the 32nd time. Nepal’s Lhakpa Sherpa became the first woman to summit Everest 11 times. Officials from Nepal’s tourism department said final summit figures would be confirmed only after climbers submitted photographic proof and completed official verification procedures.

Mount Everest, located on the border between Nepal and the Tibet region of China, is climbed from both the Nepal and Tibet routes. Expedition operators stated that no climbing permits were issued from the Tibetan side this season. Nepal issued 494 Everest climbing permits this year, with each permit costing 15,000 US dollars. Mountaineering experts have repeatedly raised concerns over congestion and long queues near the summit during peak climbing windows, prompting Nepalese authorities to introduce stricter controls and revised regulations for climbers.