Kathmandu Mar. 27:The first Summitter to the Everest Sir Edmund Hillary felicitated  Babu Chhiri Sherpa at the office of Himalayan Trust for the success of his 16 hours Mt Everest speed expedition-2000.

Monday , on the occasion, Sir Hillary  extended thanks to Gorkha Airlines and its Chief adviser and Chairman of the expedition management committee Rajendra Bhadur Shrestha for sponsoring such glorious making event.

The Gorkha Airlines is managing the entire show of this Speed Expedition. All the previous Expedition of Babu Chhiri were sponsored by non- Nepalese organisations.

Babu Chhiri has not only climbed Mt. Everest nine times but also has appeared in Guinness Book of World record for staying at the Everest summit for arduous 21 hours without auxiliary oxygen. If Babu Chiri achieves the feat of reaching the summit within 16 hours, he will be establishing a new world record. The current record holder is Kaji Sherpa who has done this feat in twenty hrs twenty-four minute.

Sir Edmund Hillary also signed the Expedition banner and flag which Babu Chhiri is unfurling at the Everest summit and hoped that Babu Chhiri will be establishing many more world records in future. Sir Hillary has come to Nepal for a short visit and will be flying to Phaplu on March 29 for the visit of those areas.

Babu Chhiri is leaving for Lukla by Gorkha Airlines flight on March 30, 2000 to start his acclimatisation exercises at the various camps of Everest. He has plans to start his actual Expedition on the first week of May 2000.